FAQ about Natural Diamonds
How do you tell if a diamond is real?
There are a few different ways to determine if diamonds are real - some of them require lab equipment that you’ll only find in a gemologist’s office. First and foremost, look at the quality and overall appearance. Does the stone look shiny and very sparkly or dull and lifeless? Diamonds have an adamantine finish which is hard to replicate in any other simulant material. Next, check for the laser inscription on the girdle. Every diamond sold from Rare Carat will have one. You need magnification to find it, but once you do, match up the inscription with the grading report and lab. Finally, take it to a local graduate gemologist/appraiser. This is a sure thing. They will be able to tell you all the details about your stone and if it’s a real diamond or not.
How do you clean a diamond ring?
There are quite a few products on the market that you can use to clean your jewelry, but the simplest option is just soap and warm water! Just take a few drops of a gentle dish soap (we like blue Dawn) and mix a solution with warm water. Let the ring soak in there for a few minutes to hours (depending on how dirty it is) and then scrub it gently with a soft bristled toothbrush . Rinse under warm water and then let dry on a paper towel or dishcloth. Voila, you now have a clean diamond ring!
How much is a diamond worth?
The sentimental value of a diamond is priceless, the monetary value depends upon the 4C’s (cut, color, clarity and carat weight). There are diamonds on the market that you can get for a few hundred dollars as well as for a few million.
What are the 4Cs of diamond?
The 4C’s are Cut, color, clarity and carat weight. Cut tells us how well the diamond is fashioned and the overall design of the stone. It includes how well it’s polished (polish) as well as how well the facets are aligned (symmetry). Color tells us how close to coloress the diamond is based on a D-Z scale. Anything below Z and it is considered a fancy-colored diamond. Clarity tells us how many inclusions are found within the diamond as well as how many blemishes (more rare) are found on the surface of the diamond. It’s based on the following scale: Flawless - I3. Finally, carat weight tells us how much the diamond weighs. The higher the carat weight, the larger the diamond is going to be.
Diamond 4C’s: Which is the most important?
Of the 4C’s, cut is always going to be the most important. This is where all of the sparkle and shine comes from. The better the cut, the better the overall design of the diamond is going to be. For natural diamonds, you want to stick with an Excellent cut grade. Note: only round brilliant diamonds get a cut grade from the GIA. Any other shape you will need to look at the polish, symmetry and proportions (table, depth, girdle thickness) to get a sense of how well it’s cut. This is where the “Rare Carat Ideal” cut filter comes into effect. Use this when filtering for diamonds on our search page to ensure you’re getting a well cut diamond. Still have questions? Ask one of our graduate gemologists for help in chat.
How to balance 4C’s in the Rare Carat filters for the best deal?
When looking for a great deal using the Rare Carat search filters, we first want to start with the cut grade. Be sure to filter for “Rare Carat Ideal” so you know you’re getting a well cut diamond with Very Good - Excellent polish and symmetry as well as ideal proportions (table, depth, girdle, crown angle). From there, choose what color grade you would like. D-F is colorless, G-J is near-colorless and K is faint yellow. For a great deal, go with a G color grade. The diamond will look similar to a colorless stone, but for a near-colorless price. Next, filter for clarity. For an eye clean diamond, stick with a VS2 or higher. For a good deal, try looking in the SI1-2 range, it’s not as common to have an eye clean diamond in this range, but depending on the size and location of the inclusions, you could find one! Finally, enter in your desired budget to see what is available in your price range. Be sure to check out our “Rare Carat Deal Vault” to see diamonds that have great prices! Feeling stuck with setting up your search? Go ahead and give that chat button a click to be connected with one of our Graduate Gemologists.