Diamonds reflect the joy of new beginnings and the glow of enduring love. They last a lifetime and pass flawlessly from one generation to the next with dignity and grace.
When selecting diamond jewelry, consider the occasion and the preference of the person you’re choosing it for. Good diamond-giving occasions include engagements, anniversaries, new babies, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, graduations, promotions and retirements. How about adding some holidays of your own, like I’m Worth It Day, or I Just Felt Like It Day? Maybe it’s time to upgrade your wife’s small engagement ring you bought right out of college, or time to have your wedding ring reset into something new. Jewelry can say congratulations, I’m sorry, or good luck. Regardless of the reason, diamonds always say you have good taste.
When buying diamond jewelry, seek out diamonds whose cut enhance their brilliance and fire. When considering color, those classified as D, E or F have the least color and are the most valuable, but perfectly beautiful diamonds are classified as G, H and I. Diamonds are also classified according to clarity based on the number of internal blemishes or “inclusions” which impede the flow of light and affect its brilliance. The most ideal clarity is F (flawless) with several excellent levels behind it, including VVS (very very slight inclusion) and VS (very slight). The final C to consider is carat, or weight, or the diamond.
Diamond jewelry is typically set in platinum or gold. Platinum is very durable and does not impart any color to the stone. It is considered the most elegant and sophisticated and is the preferred setting for very high-quality diamonds. Gold, both yellow and white, remains a very popular and well-accepted choice. The most common is 18K, meaning there is 18 percent actual gold in the metal. While 14K is also considered good quality, anything above 18K is typically too soft. The carat strength of gold is different than the carat weight of diamonds. Beautiful settings can be created with a two-toned look of yellow and white gold.