Know Your Diamond Flaws

Knowledge is the key to shopping for diamonds. The more you know, the better the result will be. Most people focus on color, carat weight, clarity and cut, better known as the 4 Cs, when shopping for diamond jewelry.
Relying on the four Cs is important, but there is a downside to it. Sales people know them through and through, if you know what I mean. A different approach that can separate the good from the bad is to look for diamond flaws instead.
Diamond problems tend to come in two categories. Problems that occurred after mining are known as epigenetic. Problems that arose while the diamond was being formed deep under ground are known as syngenetic.
Our first flaw is know as a pinpoint inclusion. It appears as a dot of light in the diamond. Do not be fooled, my friend. It is a crystal anomaly. If the point of light does not change location when you move the diamond, you have a pinpoint inclusion.
If you see a pinpoint inclusion, should you skip the diamond? Not necessarily. They are very common in diamonds. If it impacts the clarity, then skip it. If not, do not sweat it. All diamonds seem to have some minor imperfection.
When it comes to epigenetic problems, blemishes are very common. They occur when the jeweler is preparing the diamond. Personally, I think they are the sign of a poor jeweler, so you might want to move on to another outfit.
Along these lines, a diamond may be considered to have flaws if it has extra facets. These are essentially extra cuts to the diamond. They indicate the removal of a blemish or other flaw with the diamond. The extra facets are not a negative per se for many people.
The world fracture connotates big problems. The same is true when talking about diamond fractures. It is a break in the diamond somewhere. Avoid these diamonds. Also, be aware that some jewelers will try to fill the fracture and pass them off as regular diamonds.
A scratch is a more mundane diamond flaw. Light scratches are common and can simply be polished out. Deeper scratches, however, can ruin a diamond. They are difficult to polish out without impacting the cut. An extra facet may be need.
Needles are another flaw that is fairly controversial among diamond lovers and jewelers. Some, such as myself, do not view them as flaws. In many cases, a diamond with a special quality is actually a diamond with a needle that is reflecting the light oddly.
How does this occur? Well, the needle is essentially a slight open space in the diamond. As the light passes by, it creates a prism within the natural prism of the diamond. Light is reflected to and fro. This can create extra brilliance or an odd look.
At the end of the day, it is the very rare diamond that does not have some minor flaw. Understanding what these flaws are is critical to the selection process. Figure out what you can live with and then find that special diamond.

Article Source: http://www.articlegoldmine.com

Visit xxx to buy jewelry online at ridiculously low prices.

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated