There are 4 principal criteria to take into account at the time of buying a diamond: the 4 C’s

• Carat
• Clarity
• Colour
• Cut

At the time of choosing your diamond, it is preferable to use a lamp which has a light nearest to that of daylight.

In the majority of jewellery shops, you will find lamps with yellow spectrum which brings out the diamonds value, but artificially. Once outside in hard daylight the brilliance is suddenly much less attractive!

It is essential to choose your diamond using a "cold" light which reproduces the external luminosity which comes from the North between noon and 2 P.M.

A certificate must accompany your diamond. This gemmological report shows all the principal characteristics of your diamond, it is a true identity card of your stone.

We recommend the following laboratories: G.I.A., H.R.D., I.G.I ; C.C.I.P; M.G.L.

Laser inscription of the certificate number on the girdle of the stone is a "must". You will learn how to recognize your diamond yourself thanks to an x15 magnifying glass.

Be wary of treated stones. You must know that here are diamonds “Clarity Enhanced "or "Colour Enhanced”; they have been artificially modified (clarity and/or colour). The value of such a diamond falls very sharply (70% to 80%). At ArtGEMROAD you will find only natural diamonds, and with a certificates to prove it.

Someone who buys a diamond without certificate takes the risk of buying without the knowledge that it is a treated stone!

At the time of buying a diamond there are not only the the 4C’s, weight (carats), clarity, colour and cut to take into account, one must include the proportions, the finish and the fluorescence that are also very important criteria.

Fluorescence:

Choose a diamond of fluorescence "none" or "nil" (null), "slight" (weak), or "medium" for colours D, E or F.

Avoid diamonds of fluorescence "strong" (strong), it would give a milky aspect to the stone.

Proportions:

Choose a diamond having proportions "very good" (very good). That will guarantee you an optimal brilliance.

Proportions "good" give a dull aspect to the stone; they are often flat or deep diamonds.

Finish:

Choose a diamond having a finish "very good" (very good) or "good" (good); avoid the qualified finish of "medium" (average) or "poor" (bad).

A finish "very good" is rare.

For a stone intended for white gold, we advise you to choose colours D, E, F or G. For yellow gold, the colours H or I remain suitable, because the yellow gold makes the stones whiter than they are in reality.

Clarity:

Concerning clarity, a microscope is essential to see an inclusion of the type VVS or VS1. Clarities VS2 and SI1 are very correct, especially if the inclusion(s) can be hidden under a prong of the ring.

From the point of view of the "investment", a diamond VVS or Pure will have a higher financial value than a diamond with clarity VS or SI.

It is important to buy a diamond at market prices.

A price list of cut diamonds is available on subscription only for the professionals called the Rapaport Diamond Report. This list gives the price of all cut diamonds from 0.01 carat to 5.99 carats in relation to the weight, the colour, the clarity and the size. It is used daily by the diamond cutters and traders of the entire world for their transactions. It acts as the diamond quotation.

Our advice:

The most important is to choose a diamond that has "life” that speaks to you, for which you have a "feeling".