Diamond Bands FAQ's
- Can you shower with a diamond ring?
You should take off your jewelry while showering to protect it from potential damage. While diamonds are incredibly hard and resistant to scratches, they may become dull if exposed to soap, shampoo, and shower gels that contain oils. The ring’s metal may also scratch or develop a patina over time. Finally, you can lose a diamond down the drain if the stone is loose in the setting.
- What can break a diamond?
Diamonds are the hardest natural material, but their hardness also make them brittle. For example, hitting a diamond with a hammer will break the stone completely if you also hit it at the right angle. Every diamond has cleavage patterns (lines) that indicate the way it has crystallized. If you hit one of these lines, it’s easier to break the diamond with less force.
- Can you burn a diamond?
Yes, you can burn a diamond. Using a blowtorch or another source of heat will cause carbon combustion, although you will need to reach a temperature of 700-900 degrees Celsius or 1,292-1652 degrees Fahrenheit to burn a diamond. In the right conditions and with enough oxygen, a diamond will simply burn off into carbon dioxide.
- Why Diamond has no resale value?
Diamonds do have resale value, but it depends on certain factors. If the diamond comes with a certificate of authenticity and it has a high value, a high carat and clarity, it will be easier to resell. A ring from a well-known company like Cartier or Tiffany is also much easier to resell.
Generally, it is difficult to find a jeweler that will either give you a fair price for your used diamond ring or even accept it in the first place. Many jewelers buy diamonds in bulk at a discount and will not pay a higher price for a used diamond.
- Do diamonds look better in white or yellow gold?
Choosing white or yellow gold for a diamond ring is a matter of personal preference. Diamonds look slightly different depending on whether they are set in a yellow or white metal. The clearest diamonds with a class D, E, and F will look better on a white gold or other silvery hued metal, while diamonds with a rating of K and lower will have slight yellow hints and will look good in a matching yellow band. Pink and blue diamonds are usually paired with platinum, white gold, and silver colored metals.
- Which Diamond Cut is cheapest?
While prices may vary, generally emerald cuts are the cheapest. The price also changes depending on the carats. For example, for 0.5 carats, the emerald cut is the cheapest, but at 2.0 carats the cheapest option can be either a pear cut or a marquise cut. In the 0.7 to 1.5 carat categories the cheapest cuts are often cushion.
- Which diamond cut sparkles most?
Round brilliant cut diamonds sparkle the most and they are also generally the most expensive cut, across all carats. They have the most facets, at 57-58, which means that they appear much brighter and sparkly compared to a single cut diamond with 17-18 facets.
- Which diamond cut looks biggest?
Diamond cuts with fancy shapes like marquise can make the stone look bigger. The elongated and flatter shape of the diamond makes it seem larger. These cuts are also usually cheaper than a round cut. By contrast, round cut diamonds seem slightly smaller but they run deeper.
- What is the most expensive diamond color?
Red diamonds are the most expensive color because they are the rarest. The largest known red diamond is the Moussaieff Red Diamond. It has a weight of 5.11 carats, a triangular brilliant cut, and an estimated price of $20 million.
- Which Diamond color is best?
The best diamonds are colorless. Diamonds’ color is measured using the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) system, which goes from D (colorless) to Z (yellow or brown). Grades D, E, and F mark a diamond as colorless and they are also the most expensive. G, H, I, and J are near colorless and provide the best value. K has faint yellow hints, while L to Z grades have noticeable yellow and light brown hues. The diamond cut and size can also alter color perception. For example, a K color diamond under 1 carat with a pear shape may seem less colored than the same diamond in a larger size and a round cut.
- Why are Princess cut diamonds cheaper?
Princess cut diamonds are easier to make thanks to their square shape. They also use more of the rough diamond compared to a round cut, for example. They have a smaller face-up size compared to a round cut diamond with the same carat.
- How many carats should an engagement ring be?
This depends on personal preference. On average, engagement rings are between 0.5 and 1 carats, with most people in the US preferring the 1 carat option as it balances price and value.
- Is a 1 carat diamond big?
Carat refers to the weight, not the size of a diamond. 1 carat is 0.20 grams. Size is actually determined more by the cut of the diamond rather than its weight, although a diamond will be larger if it weighs more. A perfectly cut 1 carat round diamond should be around 6.5mm, but it can also be 5mm, depending on the cut type.
- Is Black Diamond rare?
Yes, black diamonds are rare, but not as rare as pink or red diamonds, which are the rarest colored diamonds in the world.
- Why do diamonds turn yellow?
Diamonds never change their color over time. However, they may appear slightly yellow in certain lighting conditions, depending on the color grade of the stone. For example, the highest grade D is colorless, but a grade of K and lower (with Z the lowest) will show hints of yellow and even a light brown color.
- What clarity diamond is best?
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has a 6-grade system for diamond clarity, all applying to a 10x magnification. Inclusion refers to the unique features and irregularities that appear when diamonds are formed. Fewer inclusions means a diamond is clearer and thus more valuable. From the highest to lowest, the GIA clarity grades are Flawless (FL), Internally Flawless (IF), Very, Very Slightly Included (VVS1 and VVS2), Very Slightly Included (VS1 and VS2), Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2), and Included (I1, I2, and I3).
- Which diamond cut is better round or princess?
A round cut diamond is considered better and more valuable than a princess cut. It is also more expensive than a princess cut, across all carats.
- Do Black Diamonds hold value?
Natural black diamonds are rarer than colorless diamonds but they are cheaper due to lower demand. Since diamonds in general are harder to sell unless they have a certificate of authenticity and a high color grade and an excellent cut, black diamonds are even harder to resell. Of course, a high carat black diamond with a perfect cut will be easier to sell.
- Are Costco diamonds worth it?
The simple answer is usually no, because there are many reputable online stores with better prices, quality, and after-sale services.
Compared to online retailers that specialize in diamonds, Cotsco doesn’t offer the same range of services or the same variety of diamonds. While you can find over 100,000 loose diamonds in many reputable online stores, Cotsco often has a few hundred in stock.
Many Cotsco diamonds don’t come with a grading report from organizations like GIA or AGSL. For the highest grades, the company often uses a different grading system instead of GIA’s. Some cuts are also graded with the GIA Very Good rating, which is too low if you want to get the best cut.
Finally, Cotsco’s prices can often be higher than specialized diamond stores, but the company doesn’t offer many of the after-sale services which are standard with reputable online diamond shops.
- What's more important color or clarity?
Generally, the color is more important, but it also depends on the metal of the diamond ring. For example, for a diamond set in a white gold or platinum band color is more important, as any hint of yellow in the stone will look even more noticeable. Likewise, for diamonds set in a yellow gold band the clarity is more important, as the color of the gold will offset yellow tints. The cut and size of the diamond also affects this balance. Round cut diamonds should be above J in color for platinum but they can be as low as M for a gold band. Other cuts can be I-K for a yellow ring and at least H or I for white gold or platinum bands.
- How can I tell if my black diamond is real?
Examine your black diamond with a magnifying glass. If it does not have any imperfections, it is probably a fake black diamond. Brown edges on the stone may also indicate that the black diamond is not natural, but a color-treated diamond. However, the best and safest way to find out if your black diamond is real is by visiting a reputable jeweler.
- Where can I buy high quality diamonds?
Online shops have become increasingly more popular over the last few years and have even surpassed brick-and-mortar jewelers in popularity. They offer a larger selection of diamonds along with a completely transparent purchasing process, HD videos, reliable grading certificates, and a range of after-sale services. Since online stores don’t have the operating costs of physical stores, they can also sell high-quality diamonds cheaper.
There are many companies that offer high-quality diamonds, among them James Allen, Blue Nile, Leibish, and White Flash. If your budget is high enough, you can also buy high-quality diamonds from world-renowned jewelers like Cartier, Tiffany, or Bulgari.
- Is Blue Nile legit?
Yes, Blue Nile is one of the most respected diamond retailer. Founded in 1999, the company has received many industry awards. It was included in Forbes’ list of 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in America and it was chosen as a “Forbes Favorite" online jeweler. Blue Nile offers over 150,000 diamonds with a color grading between D and K (they don’t sell lower color grades at all) and with a clarity between FL and SI2. Every loose diamond comes with a grading report from GIA, AGSL, or GemEx.
- What is the best way to buy diamonds?
The best way to buy diamonds is to follow the 4Cs: Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat.
Choosing the cut is probably the most important step, as the cut affects a diamond’s value as well as the way it looks. The best and most expensive cut is a round cut, but many people prefer a princess, emerald, or a marquise cut.
The color of a diamond ranges from the rating D (colorless) to Z (yellow or light brown). G, H, and I colors often offer the best value, although the choice of metal also matters when choosing a diamond. For example, if you want a yellow gold band for your ring, you can buy a cheaper K or even M rated diamond that will appear less colored alongside the warm gold color.
Clarity refers to the inclusions present in a diamond. This is the GIA rating system with grades from best to worst: FL (flawless), IF, VVS1 and VVS2, VS1 and VS2, SI1 and SI2, and I1, I2, and I3
The carat refers to the weight of the diamond. In the US, the average carat for an engagement ring is 1.
- What are the worst inclusions in a diamond?
Only Flawless rated diamonds have no inclusions, so keep in mind that if you are buying a diamond with a lower clarity that FL, you will have a stone with one or more inclusions. The severity of the inclusion lowers a diamond’s clarity rating, but the type of inclusion also matters. For example, you should avoid black spots, inclusions at the top or the center of the diamond, cloudy areas that cover a large portion of the stone, and larger cracks. A diamond with a fracture on the center and deep into the stone can break into two pieces with enough force. Buying your ring from reputable stores will give you access to the diamond’s GIA clarity grade, so you’ll be able to see exactly what types of inclusions are present in your diamond.
- Can you scratch a real diamond?
Diamonds are rated 10 on the Mohs hardness scale – the maximum. As a result, they cannot be scratched by a material with a lower rating. In everyday situations, you can’t scratch a real diamond.
- Why are diamonds cheaper online?
Online stores do not have the operating costs of physical stores, including property rental, staff, and store maintenance. They can also list diamonds from wholesalers without having to buy the stones. As a result, online retailers can offer the same diamond at a 30%-40% lower price compared to a brick-and-mortar store.
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