….is definitely a true statement, even for the girl who doesn’t wear a lot of flashy jewelry!
Valentine’s Day is only days away and I’m sure there will be a lot of lucky ladies who could be getting one of these sparklers with their box of chocolates!
I had the pleasure of meeting with Beverly at Hidden Gem in Andover, MA, today and it really got me thinking about what a guy (or girl) has to go through to pick out the perfect ring. If you need some help with it at all, call me with the details of what you’d like to get for her. I’ll work with Beverly to get you the ring you want and she’ll love, at a cost that fits your budget & the best part, you don’t have do any of the running around to the different jewelry stores. Hidden Gem gives you the personalized attention that makes the process less overwhelming!
Just in case, they want to experience the shopping for it, here’s a little FYI for you to pass along to your beloved about diamonds….
The FOUR C’S are always good to know when shopping for an engagement ring. Thanks to 4Diamond. com for the clarifications!
Cut:
When we speak of cut we are more interested in the proportions of the diamond as opposed to its shape (Round Brilliant, Marquise, Pear, Princess, etc.) Every diamond regardless of its shape gets it brilliancy and scintillation by cutting and polishing the diamond facets to allow the maximum amount of light that enters through its top to be reflected and dispersed back through its top.
Color:
Diamonds come naturally in every color of the rainbow. However most people are concerned with diamonds in the white range. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) rates the body color in white diamonds from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow). The best color for a diamond is no color at all. A totally colorless diamond allows light to pass through it easily, resulting in the light being dispersed as the color of the rainbow. Colors are graded totally colorless to light yellow. The differences from one grade to the other are very subtle and it takes a trained eye and years of experience to color grade a diamond.
Clarity:
The clarity of a diamond is determined by the amount and location of flaws, or blemishes, in the diamond when viewed under 10 power (10x) magnification. GIA rates clarity grades in diamonds from Flawless to Imperfect 3.
Most diamonds contain very tiny birthmarks known as “inclusions.” An inclusion can interfere with the light passing through the diamond. The fewer the inclusions, the more beautiful the diamond will be. Diamonds have the capability of producing more brilliance than any other gemstone. A diamond that is free of inclusions and surface blemishes is very rare…and therefore very valuable.
Carat:
The weight of a diamond measured in carats. As the carat weight of a diamond increases so does its rarity and therefore its price.
One carat is divided into 100 “points,” so that a diamond of 75 points weights .75 carats. The carat-weight of a diamond is the easiest measurement to determine. Most importantly, two diamonds can be of equal carat-weight, but their value can differ greatly due to their cut, color, and clarity.
So, I’ll leave you with a few different shapes…
