Buying loose diamonds is a great alternative if you’re thinking of buying a custom piece of jewellery. Buying a loose diamond allows you to inspect the stone’s quality more carefully and from every angle, which you can’t do if the diamond is already mounted in a premade ring. With that advantage in mind, there are many other things to consider when buying loose diamonds.
- Know what the diamond is for. Selecting a diamond to be mounted in a platinum engagement ring will look different than a custom made diamond pendant.
- Figure out your budget. While diamonds are certainly an expensive investment, purchasing loose diamonds is more cost-effective. It can often save you up to 15% because you’re buying the diamond based on your specifications, including carat size and clarity. Knowing your budget ahead of time will help as you begin to compare specifications of loose stones.
- Learn the four C’s and their key characteristics to consider so you can get the highest quality diamond for the lowest price guaranteed.
- Carat – The carat size is very important because it basically determines what size diamond you’ll end up purchasing. If you’re on a budget, you can save some money by buying a .98 carat diamond instead of a full carat and no one will ever know the difference. This is because you pay a premium for buying an exact carat.
- Clarity – Clarity and carat weight often go together because the larger the diamond, the easier it is to see imperfections. If you only buy a one-carat diamond, you can usually buy one with very slight imperfections(VSI) and no one could tell easily, or at least not without using a microscope.
- Cut – The diamond cut refers to the quality of the cut, as in how well the quality of light is reflected back to you. Some of the popular cuts include the Step or the Scissor cut, and each one radiates a certain amount of brilliance and light.
- Colour – Diamonds are rated on a scale of D to Z in colour, basically from being totally colourless to being yellow. For the best value, find a diamond between G and J. They’ll look colourless to virtually anyone and be more affordable.
- Choose the diamond shape of your choice. This is the most personal choice, and will mostly be influenced by your girlfriend’s taste. If she’s a romantic, consider looking at a heart-shaped diamond or a princess square-shaped diamond. If she likes classic styles, she may prefer a Round Brilliant diamond.
- Buy your loose diamonds from a reputable jeweller who only sells certified diamonds. Ask to see a certificate from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or the Jewellers Association of Australia (JAA). Ringleaders sell diamond jewellery in Brisbane, which have certified and high-quality diamonds.
You know you’re going to invest some money into good quality diamonds. You might as well do it the right way. Now you know which features to look for, how to inspect the 4 C’s and establish your budget. Time to go shopping for a diamond.