Diamond Facts

The first diamonds were mined in India, more than 2800 years ago.  The diamonds that we find today are all extremely old.  In fact, most are 900 million years old or more, with the oldest known diamond being 3.2 billion years old.  Like snowflakes, each diamond is entirely unique.  There are no two diamonds that are exactly the same.

There are many things to consider when learning how to buy a diamond, and you should never rush into buying a diamond without first doing a little research as to how the diamonds are priced.

The “4 C's”

Everyone has many things to consider when determining how to buy a diamond.  All around the world, jewelers use the “4 C's” as a way of describing the value of a diamond.  If you want to learn how to buy a diamond, you need to learn exactly what the 4 C's are, and how each aspect contributes to the value of the diamond.

The 4 C's are Cut, Clarity, Carats, and Color. 

How to Buy a Diamond based on Cut: The cut of a diamond describes how an artisan angles the gemstone to best reflect light through the diamond, causing it to sparkle.  A quality cut brings out the beauty of a diamond and makes it more valuable, while a poorly cut diamond will sell for less because it isn't as brilliant or shiny.

How to Buy a Diamond based on Clarity: The clarity of a diamond refers to how clear the diamond is when you look through it.  A perfect diamond is rare; most have inclusions and flaws, although many cannot be seen without magnification.  When looking at a diamond for clarity, look to see if there are dark spots inside the diamond.

How to Buy a Diamond based on Carats:  Larger diamonds cost more than smaller diamonds, even if the total carats of the diamonds are the same.  For example, a single one-carat diamond will cost you more than three diamonds set in a ring that add up to one carat.  This is because larger diamonds are much more rare to find.  When diamonds are cut, they lose about half their size.

How to Buy a Diamond based on Color:  The actual color of a diamond is a personal preference.  But diamonds that are colorless, known as white diamonds are the rarest and therefore cost the most. Diamonds also come in different shades, including yellow, green, blue and pink, among others. 

Certificates and Appraisals

In addition to understanding what to look for in regards to the 4 C's when learning how to buy a diamond, you should also learn how to read certificates that describe details about the unmounted diamond and perhaps have any diamond you are interested in professionally appraised by an independent organization.  You may not want to accept the appraisal done by the jeweler for the simple fact that they are biased and may appraise the diamond for slightly higher than it's actually worth in order to gain more money for the sale of the diamond.