Frequently Asked Questions
from
Diamond Experts

1. How can make an educated choice when buying a loose diamond?
Ideally, one would want to attain as much knowledge as possible - both in grading them for the 4cs and about their market prices. To play it safe it would be wise to buy a stone with a GIA certificate. With a certified diamonds you know what you're getting.

2. How can I get a better deal? By buying a loose diamond or one already set in a ring?
Optimally you should try to buy a loose stone from a diamond wholesaler. Sometimes wholesale prices can be much cheaper than retail. Also jewelers try to hide flaws in the diamond underneath the prongs (those pieces of the ring that hold the stone in place.) A loose diamond will be easier to check for clarity.

3. What is the best cut for a diamond?
Which cut do you like the best? If you're buying the stone for yourself, choose the cut you like. If you're buying it for someone else, ask them which shape they would most like. Fancy cuts look classier when the diamond is large. Brilliant cuts are more expensive because more weight from the diamond is lost when cutting.

4. What does the term - 4c's stand for?
four C's means the four words which begin with the letter C.
1. Carat
2. Color
3. Clarity
4. Cut
The above four terms are used when grading diamonds.

5. How do I use a loupe?
Generally it takes practice to get good at using a loupe effectively. To use one, hold the loupe about 1 inch in front of your eye. Bring the diamond in front of the loupe using a pair of tweezers. Move the stone in order to vary the depth of focus.

6. Which C has the greatest impact on price?
Color then clarity, followed by cut and then weight.

7. What does GIA Diamond Certificate mean?
A diamond which was examined and graded by GIA, the Gemological Institute of America. The results of the examination are printed onto certified document and accompany the stone for verification of quality.

8. What exactly is Clarity Enhancement?
Clarity enhancement is a procedure which hides the flaws in the diamond. A tiny hole is drilled through the table of the stone, usually with a laser. Then chemicals are used to clean out the inclusion.

9. Should I buy a diamond that has had its clarity enhanced?
At Diamond Experts we suggest not to buy stones that have gone through the clarity enhancement procedure. GIA will also not examine nor issue a certificate for a clarity enhanced stone. In addition the holes which are drilled during the procedure can easily be seen and detract from the beauty of the stone. There are also reports of diamonds cracking to pieces because of the expansion of the chemicals used in the procedure.

10. How can I tell if the diamond is real and not fake?
The truth is you can't. Only an expert with special equipment can verify that a diamond is real. If the diamond is loose, try to place it table down on a blue ink line drawn on a clean white piece of paper. If you can see the line through the stone than it's a fake. But once again the sure way to tell is by using an expert with his special equipment.