Debunking the Top Five Loose Diamond Myths

Myth: When looking at a loose diamond, your eye first notices the cut quality and then the color grade of the stone, so those are the most important factors when choosing a loose diamondReality: When you see a loose diamond, your eye perceives every facet of the stone’s quality at once—as one cohesive aesthetic judgment. Not only that, but color is the single most difficult factor for the average layperson to discern, even on a loose diamond. If a diamond is cut well, it will be very difficult for you to tell the difference between a colorless D or E stone and a slightly colored J loose diamond—even more so if you set the loose diamond into jewelry. The first two things about a diamond the eye first notices are size and sparkle. Size is the actual physical measurements and the sparkle has to do with the cut performance.

These two stones are alike in almost every feature—except color.To upgrade from the top stone (a J) to the bottom (a D) you will pay four times the price.

Myth: A higher clarity grade, even if it is a difference invisible to the naked eye, will make your loose diamond a better investment in the long run.Reality: Most diamond buyers are not looking at their loose diamond purchase as a pure investment; most diamonds, even loose diamonds, are sold for sentimental purposes on special occasions. So the higher clarity grade, even on a loose diamond, will not significantly affect its resale value, and is not necessarily a feature that you will appreciate when you wear the stone. Whether you are buying a loose diamond or one set into jewelry, as long as the stone is certified eye clean, the clarity grade is not so important.

Myth: Carat weight is the single most important factor in any loose diamond purchase—bigger is always better!Reality: First of all, carat weight refers to the weight of a diamond (1 carat is .2 of a gram), not size—the size of the diamond as your eye sees it is affected by the proportions of the cut and how deep the table-to-pavilion ratio is. More importantly, the perceived size of your loose diamond will be greatly affected by its light performance—the more light caught and reflected out of your loose diamond, the bigger it will look and the more eye-catching it will appear. Not only that, but sacrificing all other factors for a giant rock isn’t going to get you the stunning look you want—a very large stone with poor light performance, visible inclusions and subpar proportions will just look dull and fake.

There are many factors influencing the perceived size of your diamond, including halo settings like this one

Myth: All cut grades with names like Excellent, Ideal, Super-Ideal and Hearts and Arrows all refer to the same proportions in the cut of the loose diamond.Reality: Although all those cut grades are nice-looking stones, even in loose diamond form, the truth is that super-ideal diamonds are visibly more brilliant and sparkly than their lesser cousins, the Excellent and Ideal stones. Of course, the planned use of the diamond will impact what cut grade is right for you, but for applications where the loose diamond is the focal point, like an engagement ring, you just can’t top the superior light performance of the Super-Ideal. Hearts and Arrows just takes the proportional perfection of the Super-Ideal one step farther, with facets so symmetrically arranged that they form visible hearts and arrows patterns in the loose diamond itself. The A Cut Above® diamond is the premier brand of certified Hearts and Arrows diamonds available for online purchase.

http://www.whiteflash.com/about-diamonds/diamond-education/top-five-loose-diamond-myths-868.htm

When photographed through a special colored lens, the near-perfect hearts on this A Cut Above® show up clearly.

Myth: It’s really important that your loose diamond be certified so that you can be sure you are getting the features you are paying for, but all the certifying agencies are standardized and it doesn’t matter which certificate you have.Reality: Well, the first part of that is true—never buy an uncertified loose diamond, even if you see it yourself, because you simply never know what you’re getting. But not all certifying agencies are created equal. The two most reliable are the GIA—Gemological Institute of America—and the AGS—American Gem Society. Both of these companies specialize in diamond grading to the most exacting standards; the AGS in particular is known for having very high standards when it comes to the nuances of cut grading.