Caring For Your Diamond Jewelry
Diamonds are one of the hardest substances on earth and are extremely resistant to damage by heat or scratching. That said, they can chip and break. At Toner Jewelry we strongly suggest removing your diamond jewelry prior to any type of activity where you might end up hitting it against something hard or come into contact with and abrasive substance. These activities include gardening, exercising, cleaning and washing dishes.
To clean your diamond at home we recommend a soft tooth brush and some dish washing soap-we suggest Dawn. Every six months or if it is dropped or hit against a hard surface, have your diamond jewelry professionally inspected.
It is important for you to be happy with your fine jewelry selection. Let Toner Jewelry assist in picking out the best diamond for you, or design a custom setting.
The 4Cs of Diamonds
Everyone hears about the 4Cs of diamonds, but what are they? The 4Cs of Diamonds are defined as color, clarity, cut and carat weight. The pricing of diamonds according to these criteria was developed by the Gemological Institute of America in the 1950s.
Diamond Color
Diamond color is graded starting with D. It is the highest and most rare colorless grade. As the grades descend toward Z, the color increases and the price decreases. Color is only one part of the grading system so one should not determine that a diamond is of poor quality just because it may have a yellowish tint. "Fancy" color diamonds do not follow this grading criteria.
- Colorless – D, E, F
- Near Colorless – G, H, I, J
- Faint Yellow – K, L, M
Diamond Clarity
Clarity is a determination of how flawless the diamond is internally and externally. The flaws are called inclusions. Clarity is noted as follows:
- FI – flawless
- IF – Internally flawless
- VVS1 & VVS2 – Very, very slightly included
- VS1 & VS2 – Very slightly included
- SI1 & SI2 – slightly included
- I1, I2 & I3 – Imperfections visible to the eye
Diamond Cut
The cut of a diamond refers to the proportions and finish of the stone. The cut can affect the price of the stone as much as 50%. Two 1 carat round diamonds can appear to be totally different sizes to the eye due to that fact that one can be cut more shallowly giving it a larger surface area. While this may seem good, it can also hurt the brilliance of the stone and leave dark area instead of catching light.
Carat Weight
Carat weight is the points of the diamonds such as a 1.00ct is 100 points. To get the exact weight of a diamond it is measured on a scale. It can be measured for an estimate of its weight. The higher the weight the greater the per-carat price. You will find that prices jump when diamonds move from one weight category to the next. For example .99ct vs. 1.00ct or 1.80ct vs. 2.00 ct.
