Buying A Diamond? 4 Tips From An Expert

Buying diamonds is no easy task. From cut to clarity to carat to colour, there are a lot of things one needs to take care of. With the festive season around the corner, this is the perfect time to brush up on some facts on how to buy diamonds. We asked Sulabh Agarwal, Head of Merchandising & Operations at Melorra, an online jewellery shopping store, to share tips so we know what to look out for if and when we head out to buy some diamonds.

(Also Read: 8 Tips To Keep Your Diamonds Sparkling Like New)

“Understanding exactly what you should look for can help ensure that you get the most value for money and avoid buyer’s remorse down the line,” says Sulabh.

Cut

“A well-cut stone has three attributes: brilliance – the amount of light return offered by the diamond, fire – the flashes of colour reflected off the diamond, and scintillation – the amount of sparkle,” says Sulabh. “Even with perfect clarity and colour grade, a diamond that has a poor cut can appear dull. When cuts are made with proper proportions, light returns from the top of the diamond. If the cuts are too shallow, light leaks out of the bottom and if they are too deep, it escapes from the side.”

(Also Read: 9 Beautiful Diamond Rings You Can Wear To Office)

Colour

“Unless you prefer coloured diamonds, go for a stone that lacks colour,” advises Sulabh. “Some diamonds are yellow in colour and are called canary diamonds. A grading of D, E, or F indicates colourless diamonds whereas stones graded as G, H, or I are near-colourless on the diamond colour scale.”

Clarity

“Clarity is determined by the number and size of inclusions in a diamond,” shares Sulabh. Inclusions are natural flaws that can impact the overall look and are visible under a 10-power magnification. Diamonds with few inclusions are more expensive and those without any are considered flawless.”

Carat

“One carat is equal to exactly 0.2 grams which is roughly the weight of a paper clip. Diamonds that are less than 1 carat are expressed in cents,” shares Sulabh. “The carat weight does not have a direct bearing upon the brilliance or sparkle of a diamond but it can influence the price. All other factors being equal, with an increase in weight, the rarity and value of a diamond also increases. For instance, a diamond that weighs 2 carats will cost more than two diamonds of the same quality weighing 1 carat each.”