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, Diamonds are a girl's best friend. 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 jewelryYou 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- This 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?

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!

Every person, when choosing diamond jewelry for someone dear, wants everything to be at the highest level. But not many people understand such things as color, clarity and other properties of diamonds. This article can teach you how to choose the right diamond jewelry.

Introduction

Diamond– the hardest natural substance known. It was found in a type of igneous rock known as kimberlite. The diamond itself is essentially a chain of carbon atoms that have crystallized. The unique hardness of the stone is the result of a dense concentration of carbon chains.

Like other igneous rocks, kimberlite was formed over thousands of years as a result of volcanic action that occurred during the formation of the earth's crust.

Kimberlite lies within these former spheres of volcanic activity - often near mountain ranges - in vertical shafts that extend deep within the Earth. Within the kimberlite are intermittent deposits of diamond, one of several minerals.

However, not all kimberlites contain diamond. Other stones that are often found with diamonds are mica and zircon. Thus, kimberlite can be shades of blue-gray - called blue earth - or, if exposed to air, it can have a yellowish tint and is called yellow.

Key Factors: Diamonds and the 4 Cs

Although all diamonds are made from pressed carbon, each individual diamond is unique and distinct in its own way. Diamonds come in different shapes, sizes, colors, and various internal and external characteristics that serve to identify a diamond.

All diamonds have a certain value, and there is also the grading of diamonds by color and clarity, but how can you accurately determine which diamond is more valuable than another?

For round diamonds, you can use the following formula to estimate their carat weight: Carat Weight = Diameter in mm x Diameter in mm x Depth in mm x 0.006

When buying a diamond, what is more important: clarity or color?

Color and clarity are two of the most important characteristics of a diamond's quality. But is one more important than the other when choosing a diamond?

How does color affect the appearance of a diamond?

Diamond color is graded on a letter scale, with the top grade being D, which indicates a completely colorless diamond.

Diamond clarity or color?

The lower the color of the diamond, the more colored the stone appears. Diamonds graded K or below have a slight yellow tint that becomes more noticeable the lower you go on the color scale.

How does clarity affect the appearance of a diamond?

Clarity refers to how many internal imperfections (inclusions) and surface imperfections a diamond has and how visible they are under magnification or to the naked eye.

High clarity class FL (Flawless) assigned to diamonds that have no visible inclusions even when viewed with a 10x loupe. The lower the clarity of a stone, the more likely it is that imperfections such as black spots or lines can be seen within the diamond.

Does color or clarity enhance a diamond's brilliance?

Luster is perhaps the most important characteristic of a diamond, and its intensity depends mainly on the cut of the stone.

Color and clarity do not directly affect brightness, but they can contribute to its visual effect. While diamond color alone does not increase or decrease brilliance, more colorless stones appear whiter, brighter, and appear more vibrant overall.

In contrast, lower quality diamonds that have stronger yellow undertones may appear darker and people may perceive them as less brilliant (even though this may not actually be the case).

When it comes to clarity, the absence of imperfections definitely adds to the impression that the stone sparkles clean. Visible imperfections can make a diamond look a little dirty, but such imperfections do not change significantly as much as the stone reflects light to affect its brilliance.

The brightness of a diamond can be detrimental to stones with numerous, very large inclusions, but most jewelers do not carry diamonds of such low clarity.

When is the color of a diamond more important?

Sometimes better color is more important than cleanliness. For example, if a client is going to set their diamond white, it is very important that the stone has no visible tints.

Otherwise, if he sets a diamond with slight yellowish tints from or platinum, the yellow color will stand out even more against the white background and the diamond will look darker than its setting.

In such a case, a small inclusion on the side of the diamond would spoil its appearance much less than the low-quality color of the stone.

When does the clarity of a diamond become more important?

In general, clarity starts to matter when it is too low. There is not much difference to the naked eye between a graduated FL or IF diamond and one in the VS1-VS2 clarity range.

However, diamonds with clarity graded below SI1/SI2 are likely to have visible flaws.

Clarity matters much more than color when a diamond is going to be set in yellow gold, which can absorb yellowish tones in a low-quality stone and make it appear whiter than gold. In this case, it is better to make sure that the selected diamond looks clean to the naked eye.

Bottom line

How to choose a diamond by color and clarity:

• When buying a diamond, you must first make sure that the stone is clean, i.e., it has no flaws so that it can be seen with the naked eye.
• There is no need to look for the stone with the highest clarity, since diamonds graded VS1-VS2 or SI1 can appear as clear as FL/IF clear stones, there is no rush to find a beautiful diamond.
• If you buy a round diamond for a yellow gold setting, you can safely choose a stone that is a J, K, or L (sometimes even M) color and not have to worry about the visibility of its yellow hues.
• For other diamond cuts, you may need to draw a line with a higher color such as I, J or K.
• If a round diamond will be set in platinum or white gold, it should not go lower than an H, I, or J color. For cuts other than round, a G or H is a good choice, but not lower than an I color.

Dear friends! How to choose the right diamond? You need to do two things: set your expectations and review your finances. The diamond market is vast and has a lot of offers. You need to create a clear route to the stone of your dreams and follow it strictly. Then the purchase will be a joy, and the investment will be reliable.

How to choose the right diamond: color

Let's start by choosing a diamond ring. Let's put aside the issue of frame material and design and focus on the stone. First, what kind of diamond do you want: colorless or colored? A fabulously expensive option is a natural fancy colored diamond. A color-modified diamond will cost about half as much, if that doesn't bother you.

A smart approach is to view a diamond not only as a statement accessory, but also as an investment. First, it must be liquid. Secondly, the amount you receive should be comparable to the price you pay when purchasing. Therefore, you need to choose a diamond with good characteristics (color, clarity, weight, cut), choosing economical price “corridors”.

Let's say your choice is a white diamond. But there are many shades of white: from completely transparent (River) to clearly yellow (Yellow), graded on the GIA scale from D to Z.

Category D

The first ones are the most expensive. But even here you can approach it with a bit of common sense. The River group includes diamonds of color categories from D to E. The most expensive are diamonds of color D, clarity FL / IF on the GIA scale. However, visually, class D and E stones are distinguishable by color under special lighting, in the presence of standard diamonds. At the same time, the difference in price is significant.

For example, according to the Israeli Diamond Exchange, with a weight of 0.3 carats, the cost of a class D stone is 1124 US dollars, and class E - 883. Note that their other characteristics are identical (IF clarity, round cut of excellent quality).

Category F

If you don't mind a slight white or bluish tint, an F grade stone with the same characteristics costs $780. This is the very beginning of the Top Wesselton color category. There is no yellowish tint here yet, visually they are practically indistinguishable from classes D and E under normal conditions. See, you can buy a great 0.3 carat stone for almost $350 less without sacrificing quality. According to gemologists, a ring with an F-color diamond is the optimal price/quality ratio.

The prices considered are exchange prices. In a jewelry store they are much higher. When purchasing a diamond weighing more than 1 carat, the savings will be simply enormous.

Please note: in the example discussed, the diamond was of very high clarity (IF). This is true flawlessness, which corresponds to the complete absence of internal defects when viewed through a strong magnifying glass.

What can you sacrifice?

Diamonds of impeccable purity are very rare. They are extremely expensive: with a weight of 1 carat and color D, about 30,000-35. 000 dollars.

Is such perfection necessary for a diamond ring? After all, even you yourself cannot visually distinguish a diamond of 1/1 from 3/3 (color/clarity on the Russian scale). The difference will be noticeable only when using a strong magnifying glass (x10) or even a microscope: no more than three light dots or two dark ones. It is acceptable to purchase a diamond of the 4th class of clarity. One can say even more: buyers are able to perceive internal defects of a stone with the naked eye only from class 7a on the Russian scale (according to GIA - SI2).

But you shouldn’t go to the other extreme either. Cleanliness grades 8-12 on the Russian scale means poor shine, many defects and the risk of stone destruction if handled carelessly. Diamonds of clarity classes 10-12 should not be purchased under any circumstances. It's a waste of money.

Moreover, very often such stones are “refined”, that is, the cracks are filled with a substance with a refractive index close to that of diamond. There is another way to hide the defective area - under the frame of the stone. It might make sense to think about purchasing a separate diamond and then setting it in a frame. The work of making a ring is estimated to cost, on average, up to $100 (at cost).

If your budget is limited, you need to choose what to prefer: weight or purity. For example, for small diamonds (up to 0.29 carats) purity class 5 is unacceptable, but for large ones it is quite possible. If funds allow, experts advise choosing a clearer diamond.

After all, you can give in on color, but not on purity. If defects cannot be avoided, then let them be in the pavilion and not on the site. Otherwise, shine and play will suffer.

Weight (mass) of diamond

Now about the weight of the stone. As the size of a diamond increases, its price increases, but not linearly, but spasmodically. A jump in value occurs when the weight crosses 0.5; 1 carat and so on. Therefore, an experienced buyer will choose a stone weighing 0.49 carats rather than 0.51 carats; the difference in weight is imperceptible, and the cost savings are quite significant.

A ring with one diamond of 1 carat is more valuable than a ring with a scattering of stones weighing 0.01–0.09 carats. The total weight of the placer will be the same - 1 carat, but the cost of each individual stone is negligible. Don't be fooled by the value of "many" diamonds.

Cut

Let's talk more about cutting. The choice of shape is very subjective. Thus, people of the older generation more often choose the round cut, while young people choose the “princess” cut.

And the point is not at all about conservatism, but about the peculiarities of vision of different age groups. Diamonds that are not very large in size (0.5 carats) with a round cut give more noticeable flashes of fire. Although their quantity is less than that of a princess cut diamond. Young people are better at distinguishing small flashes and choosing a stone with more frequent flashes as the best in brightness.

Experienced gemologists advise focusing on the following characteristics of a diamond as an ideal investment. Weight 0.5 carats or more, color in the D-F range. Cleanliness within IF-VS2 (cleanliness classes 1-5 on the Russian scale). The abbreviations GIA stand for:

• Internally flawless (IF), or clean. This is complete flawlessness, that is, the absence of any external or internal defects when viewed through a magnifying glass (x10). It is this kind of diamond that is called “a stone of pure water”;
• Very, very small inclusions (VVS1), there are tiny inclusions. There may be a light spot in the central zone of the stone when viewed from the pavilion. The middle zone and periphery - no more than two light dots or one thin strip; VVS2 (grade 3 on the Russian scale) This is where the category of diamonds most in demand for investment begins: in the central zone of the stone there can be up to three light dots, in the middle zone and periphery - no more than two dark dots or two small stripes;
• Very small inclusions (VS1 - VS2)– there are minor inclusions. These are stones of medium purity (class 5 in Russia).

The preferred cut type is Round. It is better to choose “Excellent” and “Very Good” cut quality. In this case, the play of light will be richer. Fluorescence is not acceptable.

How to save and other criteria

The lowest purchase price exists at international auctions for wholesale purchases. But access to such electronic platforms is limited. There are no more than 10 such dealer companies in Russia. They put the diamonds bought here into open sale, where all participants in the process inflate the price on them. It is advisable to purchase diamonds from reliable dealers, since in jewelry stores they are offered at a greatly inflated price.

Especially if you buy a diamond ring from a well-known brand boutique. Here the price of the stone is 5-10 times higher. It is more reasonable to invest the same funds in a larger and higher quality diamond. Then you can make either your own frame design or a brand replica.

Your benefit is obvious: a 2 times larger diamond plus an exclusive setting. The effect of such decoration is incomparably higher!

If you have set aside two stones that match their characteristics, you can place them side by side with the platform facing you and evaluate their transparency. Turning one and the other alternately, you should compare the number of flashes of light and their color scheme. The more glare, the brighter and more colorful they are, the better.

An important, albeit subjective requirement for a diamond: you have to like him. If the stone is purchased as a gift, you should not risk it and make a surprise. It will be better to find a way to involve the future owner in choosing from several options. Then the money will not be spent in vain, and you will give a truly desired stone. After all, tastes are so often unpredictable!

How to spot a fake

A well-cut cubic zirconia or zirconium can be mistaken for a diamond by an inexperienced buyer. A magnifying glass with 10x magnification will help here. Cubic zirconia will have clearly visible double edges, while diamond edges will be clear. The natural origin of a diamond will be revealed by various inclusions and opacities. Synthetic cubic zirconia crystals are free of such defects.

But the best thing to do would be to ask the seller for a stone certificate.

This is especially important when purchasing a high clarity diamond ring. The possibility of synthesizing this stone and the dishonesty of the seller cannot be completely ruled out. Synthesized diamond has a completely different price. No matter how beautiful the stone is, and no matter how seductive the seller’s speeches, you should politely but firmly ask for a certificate.

But that's not all. If a certificate is provided, you must make sure that it is issued for this particular stone. The easiest way is to weigh the stone and compare the resulting weight with what is indicated on the certificate. Moreover, you can ask for a strong magnifying glass (x10), examine the features of the stone and compare them with the description of those in the certificate.

What types of certificates should you trust? Of course, GIA (Gemological Institute of America). It is this certificate that gives an assessment that best corresponds to reality. PGGL, AGSL and LGP are possible.

The buyer himself can apply several simple techniques. If you breathe on a real diamond, it will not fog up. Condensation will appear on the fake one.

The frame can say a lot. If PT (Plat) is stamped on the inside of a diamond ring, you can rest assured that no one will “pack” a fake in platinum. Designation C.Z. should be alarming, since it is cubic zirconia.

The nature of the light refraction of a stone can also tell a lot. Place the stone on top of the newspaper and try to read the text through it. Happened? This is a fake.

Another way: draw a dot on a white sheet and place a stone on top. If circular lines are visible, then the stone is fake. Finally, you can check the stone for “buoyancy”. The diamond will sink to the bottom, but the fake will remain on the surface of the water.

Team LyubiKamni

Oksana Dmitrova

Check the certificate

Diamond rings can be divided into two groups: with stones up to 0.30 ct and more than 0.30 ct, where ct is a carat, a conventional unit of measurement for the mass of a stone. Diamonds weighing over 0.30 ct are certified by gemological laboratories; stones weighing less than 0.30 ct are usually not certified. Moreover, the certificate itself can be for the entire piece of jewelry, or just for a stone.

You can check any certificate by the number on the website of the laboratory that issued it. For particularly large stones, some laboratories duplicate the certificate number on the girdle (the part of the surface of the diamond that determines its shape).

The GIA is considered the most respected gemological center in the world. It is a leader in commercial evaluation from the USA. An interesting fact is that certificates from the GIA office in the USA are valued much higher than certificates from the GIA office in India, and in Russia the GIA has no representative office at all.

If a stone is certified by a gemological center in one country, this does not mean that it was mined there. It is quite a normal situation when a stone is mined and cut in one place, and certified in another to confirm its high characteristics by a reputable gemological center.

In Russia, diamonds are usually certified by the Gemological Center of Moscow State University or IGC, which are trusted and recognized throughout the world.

Check out the features

What is usually written in certificates? There are two scales used to evaluate diamonds: color and quality (clarity). These characteristics tend to be unity, the color is ideally pure and transparent, and the quality is characterized by inclusions inside the stone, represented by graphite dots and cracks. In Russia, these characteristics are reflected in numbers, in the international scale - in letters. Their ratio is given in the tables below.

For example, you may see the inscription 5/6 on the product tag. This means that the color of the stone has a value of 5, and the quality (purity) is 6. The real characteristics of diamonds are considered to be 3/3 as close to ideal as possible. It is rare that a stone will receive a higher grade from a gemological center, but this also happens. This information is worth double-checking, because it makes the stone significantly more expensive.

Good characteristics of a large stone are considered to be from 3/5 to 4/5.

Remember the tricks of manufacturers

Small stones with characteristics such as 5/5 will appear visually yellow, so they will be set in yellow gold to smooth out this effect. And if a large stone has characteristics of 5/5, then visually you will not notice any admixture of color and are unlikely to distinguish it from the same stone with characteristics of 3/3, unless you are an expert gemologist. This diamond will be framed in white gold. Knowing this, you can save some money.

In addition to the stone, you should pay attention to the weight of the entire piece of jewelry. Good manufacturers do not skimp on gold, so a high-quality ring weighs at least 2 g. The shank will be dense and not thin, which will allow the product to last much longer than lighter analogues that can bend or break in half. The weight of gold used will not greatly affect the price of the product, because the main part of the cost is the price of the diamond in dollars, the rest is the percentage of the retail outlet and the brand.

Based on this information, everyone can decide for themselves where they can save money, what to close their eyes to, and where to be more attentive. Buy the best wisely, diamonds are a great investment for years to come.

Today, especially for those who are planning to go on a diamond shopping tour to Israel, we will raise the “diamond” topic - about purchasing diamonds and jewelry with them in Israel. You need to be well prepared for a trip to a jewelry salon so that at least you don’t fall victim to your own incompetence. Based on my 10 years of experience in this business, I want to give some tips on how to choose and buy diamonds correctly.

Main players

Before reaching the counter of a private jeweler, a stone will be in the hands of several owners. And at each stage of resale of the stone, its value naturally increases. We are unlikely to ever encounter brokers, buyers, intermediaries and others like them, so we will take a closer look at the key players represented on the diamond market.

Diamond mining companies Like DeBeers and ALROSA. These companies mine rough diamonds from various types of deposits and then sell the mined diamonds at special auctions in which smaller diamond traders and diamond cutting companies participate. They send the purchased diamonds to their cutting factories, and then put the already cut stones up for auction.

Cutting shops and companies engaged in the sale of finished diamonds, O neither are diamond dealers. These are companies that purchase raw materials from mining companies. Here you will buy a stone at the lowest price, but it is extremely difficult to get here, since such companies are located inside the diamond exchange and work with regular and long-trusted clients - private jewelers and companies producing jewelry products. , just like all exchanges in the world, 99% consist of precisely such companies.

Diamond retailers. These are all kinds of private jewelers and shops. Here, on the last link of the chain, you will buy the stone at the maximum price.

Characteristics of Diamonds

They use the international system for grading cut diamonds. Here are the parameters that affect the price of the stone and which you should definitely pay attention to:

Weight.

Color. The color is designated by letters from D to Z. Starting with color H, the stone has a yellowish tint, clearly visible to the naked eye. D-color diamonds are also called “Pure Water Diamond” - if you place the stone in a glass of water, it becomes invisible.

Purity. The categories are: FI, IF, VVS1, VVS2, VS1, VS2, SI1, SI2, I1, I2, I3. Starting from SI1, you can see inclusions in the stone with the naked eye (black dots, stripes, clouds, cracks).

Cut. The cut is characterized in terms of “cut”, “polish” and “symmetry” (only for round stones). The cut grade ranges from “poor” to “excellent”, depending on the quality. These parameters determine how your diamond will play in the light. In Russia, for example, it is very difficult to obtain a cut quality higher than “good” or “very good”. In addition, there are 12 different cut shapes: Round, Princess, Marquise, Heart, Pear, Emerald, Oval, Cushion, Asscher, Baguette, Triangle.

Fluorescence. Stones with a high level of fluorescence glow in ultraviolet light. With strong fluorescence, the stone loses up to 30% of its value.

Certification of stones

When choosing a stone, it is important to understand that without a certificate assessed by a professional appraiser, the characteristics of a diamond from a jeweler or a seller in a store, who may even give you a passport for the stone, may be completely different from the real ones, and far from being in your favor. Show a stone to several appraisers and you will never get the same characteristics.

The only certificate that can guarantee you an accurate assessment is from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the only organization that gives the lowest specifications, as close to real as possible. You can also note HRD, but this certificate is not as popular as GIA. No other certificates - neither EGI, nor IGI, much less certificates of Israeli origin, guarantee that the stone you purchased meets the characteristics stated in the certificate.

I can remember dozens of cases when a broker brings me a stone, for example, with the characteristics stated in the certificate: 1 carat, color F, clarity SI1, 3EX, and even through an ordinary magnifying glass I see that the clarity is too high, and the color is in question. Moreover, the price for such a stone is about $6000–6500. I suggest sending the stone to GIA and get the results: G/I1 VG VG EX. The price of such a stone is $2500–2900. An untrained person (and this is 99.9% of buyers) will not notice any catch and will not distinguish two different stones, no matter how much he looks at them. And for a businessman, this is a reason to earn an extra three thousand. This is what most jewelry sellers build their business on. Inflating the characteristics by just one color gives a profit of up to 40–50% of the real cost of the stone.

Conclusion: If you want a stone that lives up to the specifications you paid for without being under-graded, buy only GIA-certified diamonds.

Cost estimate from Rapaport

Another way to find out the real cost of a product is to check it against Rapaport’s international price list, which is generated every two weeks and takes into account all market changes during this period. There are two price lists, for round and fancy cut stones.

Diamonds almost never sell for Rappoport's price. You can get a discount from 5 to 50% from a dealer or cutter, depending on the characteristics of the stone and the certificate issued. In a store, you will always overpay and, once you decide to sell the stone, you will lose a very large percentage, since they will buy the stone from you in accordance with Rappoport.

Just yesterday, out of curiosity, I visited several jewelry stores in Tel Aviv and near the exchange in Ramat Gan. Everywhere they asked for a stone with the same characteristics. The minimum price that I, a prepared person, managed to get was $1800 for a stone with GIA. When I checked in the office the real price of the stone for which it can be purchased on the exchange, it turned out to be only $1000. A tourist would have paid at least $2500 for the same stone in a store. And the starting price was $4200. Draw your conclusions!

Investing in Diamonds

Ideal stone for investment, which will then be easier to sell with a minimal discount, I would characterize as follows:

Purity: IF-VS2

Cut: Round

Weight: from 0.5 carats

No fluorescence!

You can buy diamonds at the lowest price only on international electronic platforms, where companies from all over the world offer their stones for sale. There are only a few of them. You won't find lower prices than here. But to gain access to such a system, you need to have a certain set of licenses and recommendations from participants in this market. For example, in Russia no more than a dozen companies have access to such systems. This is where large wholesalers and serious world-famous jewelers buy stones. But you won’t be able to reach here (unless, of course, you know someone at the stock exchange).

When a diamond goes on sale, the earnings of all intermediate links and VAT are added to it. Therefore, prices in stores are very high, and such a purchase cannot be considered a successful investment.

Common mistakes when buying diamonds

A ring with one stone weighing 1 carat is much more expensive than a ring with a scattering of diamonds of the same weight. All these scatterings of stones, where each stone is 0.01–0.09 carats, cost a penny. One carat of such placer can cost $200–300. It will be presented to you as a large number of diamonds.

It is not true that a 0.3-0.5 carat stone is too small to be GIA certified. There are a huge variety of stones of this size with the necessary certificates.

If you are told that the ring is an exclusive work and therefore the cost of the jewelry exceeds the cost of the stone, do not listen. If we are talking about stones from 0.3 carats, it should be a ring with exclusive work from the world's leading designers. The average cost of making a ring does not exceed $100, including setting the stone of your choice per gram of gold. The only exception is if the decoration is made according to your sketches and will be made in a single copy. In this case, the price of the designer’s work and the production of the mold are added to the cost.

Do not believe if you are assured that a company or store is a branch. The Diamond Exchange has no branches! The Diamond Exchange is four multi-storey buildings in which diamond market professionals work. The exchange itself does not sell anything and certainly does not have any branches. And stores that use such inscriptions (by the way, only in Russian) are just trying to profit from this by misleading people.

To buy a diamond in Israel at the lowest possible price, some advise going on a free excursion to the diamond exchange. As a rule, you again will not go inside, but visit the Openheimer Museum and the nearest store, which will be presented to you as an exhibition hall. If you bought a diamond there, consider that you paid not only the cost of the stone, VAT and the store’s earnings, but also the commission to the travel agency or agent who brought you, as well as the cost of the excursion for all the people who came with you, but certainly nothing did not purchase.

There are also so-called “factories” for processing diamonds. A huge store with a small area where several jewelers sit and a couple of machines for processing stones, intended more for show, cannot be called a factory. The prices there are exorbitant! Avoid such “factories”. It will be extremely difficult for you to get into real production. As a rule, these are well-guarded premises where no one is allowed.

The Internet is flooded with offers supposedly from diamond dealers working directly on the diamond exchange. As a rule, the path leads to the same shops. If you are lucky enough to get inside the real exchange after going through the fingerprinting procedure, and you are in one of the many offices, you can be sure that the stone corresponds to the certificate. They are unlikely to deceive you here. Each of the exchange members values ​​​​their reputation very much, and tarnishing it just once means losing business (or rather, access to the exchange) forever. Here you can get an adequate price, but again, it all depends on your bargaining ability.

How to choose the right diamond

1. Before going to the store, study the information about diamonds so that you understand the difference and know the basic terms. If you show your complete incompetence, this will be a good signal for the seller to sell you the stone at the highest possible price.

2. When, for example, you are offered to pay Rappoport’s price for a stone, simply tell the seller: “You understand that this is stupidity! I saw a similar stone with a GIA on Rapnet minus 20%.”

3. To avoid being deceived and being placed with a stone that does not correspond to the certificate, ask the seller to weigh the stone in front of you, and also - Attention! – ask for an electronic caliper (in Israel it is called “Gage”) and measure the stone in three dimensions. If the weight and dimensions match the data specified in the certificate, the stone corresponds 99.9% to it, since it is very difficult to select a stone identical in weight and size.

4. Even during the initial inspection of the stone, ask the seller for a ten-fold magnifying glass and, even if you don’t know anything about diamonds, study the stone thoroughly. When examining a stone through a tenfold magnifying glass, it should not be cloudy (milky), the price of such stones is pennies.

5. Keep in mind that fancy cut stones are slightly less expensive than round stones.

6. Listen carefully to what discount they will immediately offer you, and it will usually be about 20–40% right away. Subtract another 30 percent and stay there until the last. In about 10 minutes you will hear the lower purchase price.

7. It is better to negotiate with the manager, usually this is a guy who does not speak Russian.

Branded jewelry

Separately, I would like to express my opinion regarding diamonds in expensive branded items. When buying a product in a jewelry boutique of a well-known brand, you overpay the cost of the stone by at least 5–10 times. It would be much more logical to spend your budget on purchasing a separate diamond, which for the same amount will be much superior to a stone from a branded piece of jewelry, and order your own design from a good jeweler (or, alternatively, an absolute replica of the brand). So, instead of a ring from a fashion catalog with a 0.5 carat stone, you will get a beautiful ring of truly exclusive work, but with a stone of 1 carat, or maybe more, which will have a much greater effect on others.

But even with all the markups that I mentioned, if you chose the right stone, the price will still be lower than the cost of a similar diamond in the countries of the former USSR. In any case, it is profitable to purchase diamonds, you just need to do it thoughtfully and wisely. If you have any questions or doubts, write in the comments, I will be happy to answer.

Serge Hanven

Executive Director of the diamond mining group Afrcian Mining Company. Diamond mining in Sierra Leone and cutting and stone sales in Israel.