Diamonds are unique and rare. It is no surprise that all diamonds are not created equal, and that can make diamond shopping an overwhelming experience. It might be easy sometimes to find a beautiful diamond ring, but finding one that suits your taste and budget can be a challenging job. This is where buying loose diamonds comes to play.
Why Buy Loose Diamonds
One reason is that they are easier to inspect when opposed to the preset diamonds, as the ring setting might disguise the imperfections in the gemstone. Another reason is that loose diamonds can offer the power to make custom and unique setting for the final engagement or wedding ring. Yet again, when you are planning to buy inexpensive loose diamonds, you need to follow a few rules such as the ones that are listed below.
Understand the Certifications
You need to have a clear idea about diamond certification before buying loose diamonds. A certified diamond will have gone through the evaluation by a third party gemological lab like the GIA or AGS. The gemological laboratory will perform scientific examination of the diamond to provider unbiased information about the characteristics and quality of the diamond. This can offer the buyer proof that the diamond is as the seller claims.
Certifications allow loose diamonds to retain value for long time when compared to the preset stones that are sold without any certification. However, not all the laboratories are reliable, so you need to choose from the top five most trusted labs: GIA, AGS, HRD, EGL, and IGI.
Time Management
When you shop for loose diamonds, you need to take into account the time it will take to find and buy the loose diamond and to place the stone in a good setting of your choice. To save time, you need to have a design, cut, shape, and color in mind before you buy the stone and select a setting, as it can help speed up the process. This will help you get all the benefits of buying loose diamond with the fastest delivery possible.
Make Decisions
It is important to consider the size and quality before buying any diamond. This is especially true in the case of loose diamonds. Many of the buyers think that going for a bigger diamond is always a better idea. However, that is not always the case. The bigger the diamond, the more difficult it will be to find a top quality piece. Therefore, you need to take into account both these characteristics while choosing loose diamonds. Find out which factor is more important to you – size or quality – before even looking for options. A good idea to stay in your budget is to go for a high quality small diamond.
Understand the 4 C’s
Before buying loose diamonds, you need to have a good idea about the 4 C’s of diamonds, as it can help you make a better understanding on the diamond valuing process. The first C is color; it refers to the stone’s appearance, and can range from D (colorless) to Z (with light yellow tints). As per the experts, more color in a diamond can impede its fire, which is the prismatic effect of flashing colors as light passes through the diamond.
The next C you need to take into account is clarity. This is the term used to describe the small imperfections in the diamond called as inclusions. Every diamond has inclusions, but it will vary a lot from stone to stone. The fewer the inclusions in a diamond, the higher will be its quality.
The third C stands for carat and represents the weight of the diamond, while the fourth C is the cut, which determines the symmetry, shape, and light reflecting properties of the diamond. Simply put, before buying the loose diamond, you need to prioritize the C’s that are important to you. This can help you understand where to make compromises to be inside the budget.
When to Talk to a Consultant
Choosing to buy loose diamonds can be a big investment. Therefore, you should not hesitate to talk to a diamond consultant who is an expert in the field. If you feel that you do not have a good idea of the 4 C’s or would like to have a second opinion on the style or cut to go to for finding the perfect diamond falling in your budget, you can always ask for an expert opinion. This can help you feel more confident about your decision.
Buying a loose diamond can be a memorable and rewarding experience, no matter what the occasion is. If you follow the rules discussed above, you will definitely be able to buy a beautiful and sparkling loose diamond that is in your budget.