What kind of diamonds are considered good?

The transparency of a diamond is one of the main signs of its value. In addition to assessing the quality of a diamond, this factor affects its price. The fact is that a stone of natural origin, during its formation, absorbs foreign particles and receives defects under the weight of the rock. Gemologists determine the value of a diamond using a 10x magnifying glass or microscope, also depending on the number, shape and size of natural inclusions in the diamond. Of course, the price is also influenced by the parameters of the stone. Therefore, the table of characteristics of diamonds with inclusions is divided into two groups: 0.29 and 0.3 carats. Size helps answer the question of how to determine the clarity of diamonds with the naked eye. For example, on diamonds weighing up to 0.3 and with a grade of 5-6, inclusions will be noticeable without special devices, and on stones of higher carats – only with a clarity of 6-7 and below. Small dot-shaped inclusions from 1 to 4 are usually simply impossible to notice with the naked eye; such diamonds are considered the best. The characteristics of diamonds with inclusions are checked using a special table. And all gold jewelry with diamonds that you purchase from Ukrainian jewelers on the 3 Karat website must have a special marking on the jewelry tag indicating which purity group the stone belongs to. If jewelry includes several gems belonging to different groups, this is also reflected in the product label, or, if the stone has a separate certificate, then it is in more detail. There are several internationally recognized systems by which the quality of diamonds is assessed; these systems are more or less unified, although they have different terminology: GIA (Gemological Institute of America), IDC (Supreme Diamond Council), Scan. DN (Scandinavian Nomenclature) and the TU system inherited from the USSR. The difference between technical specifications and the most common one – GIA is that technical specifications distinguish more types of inclusions (dots, spots, nature of inclusion), as well as transparency – how much the lower edges are visible through the upper ones, while for GIA specialists it is important how easy it is to find inclusions in a magnifying glass or the naked eye, and how much it affects the integrity of the stone, size, placement (in the center or along the edge), and the relief of inclusions.

Diamond clarity classification according to the GIA system

IF – impeccable transparency, no visual defects. VVS 1, VVS 2 – microscopic insignificant inclusions, barely noticeable flaws in diamonds. VS 1, VS 2 – the presence of minor inclusions that do not affect the ability of reflection. SI 1, SI 2 – small but noticeable defects without special optical instruments. I 1, I 2, I 3 are imperfect.

Characteristics of diamond purity according to TU 117-4.2009-2002

Characteristics of purity groups	up to 0,29 carats	from 0,30 carats and more
No defects observed	1	1
There are a very small number of subtle defects in the form of light spots	2	2
There are very few defects in the form of dark and light dots	3	3
A small number of inclusions of dark and light dots and stripes are observed	3	4
There are a number of dark and light dots, stripes, and small cracks	4	5
There are a number of dark and light dots, stripes, as well as small cracks, bubbles, growth lines and graphite inclusions	5	6
There are a sufficient number of dark and light dots, stripes, as well as small cracks, bubbles, growth lines and graphite inclusions visible to the naked eye	5	7
There are numerous inclusions and defects visible to the naked eye	6	8,9
Numerous inclusions and defects are clearly visible even to the naked eye	7,8,9	10,11,12

Tips for buyers: how to choose a diamond by clarity?

The purity of diamonds affects not only their value, but also their color. The first three groups are transparent stones with a barely noticeable bluish tint. Diamonds in other categories “turn yellow” as the number increases. Those who want to buy a diamond as a self-sufficient value or an investment for the future should, of course, choose among the first three categories. If gold and diamond jewelry is being considered as a gift, or a valuable piece of jewelry that can be worn for special occasions, you don’t have to spend a ton of money in pursuit of blue and white pieces. For example, diamonds of 0.5 carats and more with a clarity of 4-6 are considered very good, because in the volume of the stone and its incredible brilliance, dots or lines “do not make a difference.” If a person does not belong to the professional jewelry subculture and is not going to a reception with the Queen of England, he can safely choose jewelry with diamonds of the sixth and seventh categories, especially in red or yellow gold. Visually, the characteristics of diamonds are no different from 4-5, and such jewelry costs much less, sometimes by 40-50%. Comparison of different types of diamonds by size and inclusions using the example of diamond rings from the 3 Carat website:

Gold rings with diamonds from 0.3 carats

Ring with diamond 0.5 carat, characteristics 4/4. How to choose the right diamond jewelry? How to read the tag on diamond jewelry? What should you pay attention to first? We will now answer these questions.

Why diamonds?

As they say, A girl’s best friend is diamonds. They are bright, beautiful, attract attention and are very popular with the female half of humanity. Every woman probably wants to receive a diamond ring as a gift. It will sparkle very beautifully on your finger, uplifting your mood. When choosing diamond jewelry, you always need to pay attention to many details.

Checking the tag on the decoration

Let’s start with the fact that when purchasing diamond jewelry, you need to carefully read the tag on the product. The main document certifying the authenticity of a diamond (as, indeed, the declared characteristics of any other stone) is the tag accompanying the jewelry from the manufacturer. The tag is a certificate for the set stones, containing all the necessary information. The list of details on the jewelry label is regulated by the Industry Standard (OST 117-3-002-95).

Basic information provided on the tag:

• company manufacturer;
• name of the product (bracelet, earrings, necklace, etc.) and its article number;
• a test indicating the purity of the metal;
  insert description;
• product size (for rings, bracelets, chains);
• product weight;
• product length (for chains and bracelets);
• cost of decoration.

We look at the characteristics of diamonds

For example, on the tag you can see the following: 1Br Kr57 – 0,31 1/3A. Let’s figure out what these numbers and letters on the tag mean:

• 1Br – is 1 round cut diamond;
• Kr57 – this is a round cut 57 faces;
• 0,31 is the weight in carats: 0,31 karat of the highest purity;
• 1/3 – the first digit indicates the color group, the second – the purity group;
• [A] – cutting quality group.

What is carat value?

The weight of a diamond is measured in carats. The higher the carat weight, the larger the stone and, accordingly, more expensive. The Rossyuvelirtorg network presents all types of stones: from small (up to 0.29 carats), medium (from 0.30 to 0.99 carats) to large (from 1.00 carats and more).

What is diamond cutting?

Round cut with 57 facets provides maximum play of light. When the sun’s rays passing through the top surface of a diamond are reflected on the bottom edges of the diamond. It is this type of cut that is considered the world standard throughout the world. For small diamonds, a round shape with 17 facets (Kr17) is considered ideal. This cut allows you to maintain the most optimal ratio of the quality characteristics of the stone with its price.

The cut is divided into 4 categories from A to G. The highest quality cut is designated by the letter “A”.

What is the color of a diamond?

There are several shades of diamond. Some of them have differences that are so insignificant, in the eyes of the average person, that only an experienced gemologist can distinguish between them. Shades of the stone vary from bluish-white to cognac and are designated by numbers from 1 to 9. The highest rating is 1.

Among 17-sided stones, the most optimal in terms of price and quality are considered to be group 2 diamonds (“with a subtle tint” or “with a slight yellow tint”). And for larger crystals with 57 faces, this is color class 3.

Diamond clarity

The clarity scale varies from 1 to 12. For Kr17 diamonds used in jewelry, the optimal clarity groups are 2 and 3. For Kr-57 up to 0.29 carats these are groups 4 and 5, and for larger diamonds with 57 facets – 4-6 .

It is important to consider that the groups have a fairly wide range. Therefore, do not rush to conclusions if you see a cleanliness class that is too “low,” in your opinion.

Now you are ready!

These are all the main nuances that you need to pay attention to when choosing gold or silver jewelry with diamonds. Our sales consultants will always be happy to tell you about the manufacturer of diamond jewelry, and also describe in detail the characteristics of each stone. And commodity experts in the Rossyuvelirtorg network always carefully select the best suppliers of diamond jewelry.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the presented assortment of diamond jewelry in the catalog of the Rossyuvelirtorg online store. Choose diamond jewelry wisely and delight yourself and your loved ones with precious gifts for many years to come!