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For many, jewelry shopping can be an intimidating experience. Add crowded malls, a long list of gifts to purchase, and the desire to get ‘just the right thing,’ and it can be downright stressful. But knowing what to ask a jeweler can help make this a great shopping experience

In part 4 of our 2013 Holiday Buying Guide, GIA put together the top five questions to ask a jeweler when you’re shopping for jewelry this holiday season.

Feel free to bookmark this page, print it out, or pin it: just keep it handy as you walk into any jewelry store or visit an online retailer. With the right questions, you can be confident in what you’re buying.

1. What are this diamond’s 4Cs? Can I see an independent grading report?
A jeweler should be able to explain a diamond’s 4Cs in detail and produce an independent diamond grading report to support his explanation. An unbiased diamond grading report, such as the GIA Diamond Dossier®, GIA Diamond Grading Report, or GIA Diamond eReport, ensures that you will know your diamond’s quality and authenticity. For a quick summary of the 4Cs, see part 2 of our 2013 Holiday Buying Guide, 4Cs Tips for Holiday Diamond Jewelry Shopping.

2. Can I see other options in my price range?
Many factors contribute to how a piece of jewelry is priced: the type of gemstone(s) used and it’s quality, the type and quality of the metal in the setting, overall design and craftsmanship, just to name a few. A jeweler should be able to provide you with a variety of choices for any given price point.

3. How do I take care of this piece?
Wearability and care are important considerations. If the piece includes gemstones other than diamond, be sure to find out where they rank on the Mohs scale, which represents gemstone hardness. Ask your jeweler to explain the metal used – some metals are more durable than others. And be sure you know whether the gemstone has been treated, since treated gemstones will require special care. Whether you’re looking for an everyday or special occasion piece, it’s important to understand the care and cleaning tips for any jewelry you purchase.

4. What are your credentials?
You’ll get the best shopping experience from a jeweler who is professionally trained and experienced. Most jewelers are proud to display their professional diplomas from internationally recognized gem and jewelry schools like GIA. In addition, they may be members of trade and business organizations, like the American Gem Society (AGS), Jewelers of America (JA), and your local Chamber of Commerce.

5. What is your return policy?
While everyone wants to give the perfect holiday gift, sometimes the piece just isn’t quite the taste of the recipient. Just in case she was hoping for something different, ask about the return policy. For a significant diamond purchase, like an engagement ring, you might want to also ask about any trade-in programs for a larger diamond down the road.

To avoid holiday crowds, many people opt for online shopping. GIA has a separate set of tips for online shopping that covers online retailers as well as auction sites.

And while GIA doesn’t specifically recommend jewelers, it does offer tools to help you find a jeweler in your area who carries GIA-graded diamonds or have GIA-trained professionals on staff.

Our 2013 Holiday Buying Guide continues next time with an in-depth look at special gemstone cuts and fancy shapes. Prepare to be wowed!

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Diamond jewelry is often at the top of a woman’s holiday wish list but getting her a gift that she’ll love doesn’t have to be complicated. In the second installment of our 2013 Holiday Buying Guide series, you will learn the basics of what to look for when shopping for diamond jewelry.

The first thing to know is that not all diamonds are created equal. In fact, every diamond is unique, which makes buying a diamond seem all the more challenging. For starters, how do you compare them? To protect consumers and help everyone better understand diamond quality, GIA created the 4Cs, now globally accepted as the language used to describe diamond quality. The 4Cs are so universal that diamonds are valued by how they measure up to each of the Cs. Being familiar with the 4Cs not only helps you better appreciate each diamond’s unique beauty, but also understand its price.

Every woman knows ‘good things come in small packages’ and this short 4Cs primer will get you well on your way to making sure the gift you give her this holiday is one that will delight.

Color

GIA D-to-Z Color Grading Scale measures the degree of colorlessness of a diamond, as compared to a set of master stones of established color. D is the highest grade representing colorless. As you go down through the scale, the diamond is picking up more yellow or brown color. Colorless diamonds are the most rare, and their price will reflect their rarity. Even the slightest hint of color can make a dramatic difference in value. This interactive tool shows you the subtle differences in color.

Clarity

Few things in life are perfect, and diamonds are no exception. Diamonds have internal features, called inclusions, and surface irregularities, called blemishes. Clarity grades assess the number, size, relief, nature, and position of inclusions and blemishes. Flawless is the top grade in the GIA Clarity Grading Scale, and flawless diamonds are so rare that it’s possible to spend a lifetime in the jewelry industry without ever seeing one. There are 11 clarity grades assigned to a diamond, and the fewer inclusions and blemishes, the higher the value.

Cut

Cut is the finished shape of the gem and the number and angles of its facets. The GIA Diamond Cut Grading System for standard round brilliant diamonds (still the most popular diamond shape and cutting style) has five cut grades ranging from Excellent to Poor and takes into consideration not only the proportions, polish and symmetry, but also visual appearance. Many people mistakenly use the term “cut” to refer to the diamond’s shape. Diamond shapes other than round brilliant are called fancy shapes, and include marquises, pears, ovals, hearts, and triangles to name a few.

Carat Weight

As most people know, diamonds are priced by weight. Diamonds are weighed to a thousandth (0.001) of a carat, which is 0.200 grams, and then rounded to the nearest hundredth, or point. These exact calculations are important; fractions of a carat can mean price differences of hundreds—even thousands—of dollars. Only one in 1,000 diamonds is more than a carat, and this rarity means that larger diamonds of the same quality are worth more per carat. In other words, a two-carat diamond will often cost more than the total of two one-carat diamonds, because of a higher per carat cost.

Going to a jeweler with a basic understanding of the 4Cs will help tremendously in your ability to compare diamonds and talk knowledgably with the salesperson.

For even more information, GIA created the 4Cs app, available for iPhone, iPad and Android ®, which includes videos and interactive tools explaining each of the 4Cs in greater detail. It also has a useful tool called “My Diamond Wish List” where you can save and compare GIA-graded diamonds from different jewelers as you’re shopping this holiday season.

Now that you have a basic understanding of the 4Cs, you’ll want to know how to make sure the diamond you’re buying has the qualities you’re looking for. For more about GIA grading reports, stay tuned for the next installment in our 2013 Holiday Buyers Guide.

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Our exclusive video takes you through the history of the 4Cs, and explains why they remain the universal standard for assessing your diamond. Watch it, and tell us what you think!

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GIA’s 4Cs Q&A series wraps up with some bonus information on fluorescence, while passing along a few friendly words of advice.

Fluorescence

Q: What impact does fluorescence have on the appearance of a diamond?

A: GIA studies show that, for the overwhelming majority of diamonds, the strength of fluorescence has no widely noticeable effect on appearance. In many instances, observers prefer the appearance of diamonds that have medium to strong fluorescence. In rare cases, some diamonds with extremely strong fluorescence may appear hazy or oily; fewer than 0.2% of the fluorescent diamonds submitted to GIA exhibit this effect.

Q: Does fluorescence compromise the structural integrity of the diamond?

A: No. A diamond that fluoresces has the same integrity as one with no reaction to UV. Submicroscopic substitutions and/or shifts in the diamond structure can cause fluorescence as well as prevent it. Nothing in either instance inherently weakens or is bad for the diamond.

Diamond Fluorescence

More about diamonds Q&A

Q: How can you know whether your diamond has been treated or enhanced?

A: GIA issues reports for diamonds that have been laser drilled or HPHT processed, prominently disclosing these treatments on the report. As a further precaution, GIA also laser-inscribes the girdles of diamonds it identifies to be HPHT processed. GIA does not issue grading reports for any diamond that has undergone a treatment process that’s considered nonpermanent or unstable, such as coating or fracture filling.

Q: How do you know if your diamond is synthetic or not?

A: GIA tests every diamond to determine if it is natural. If a diamond is found to be laboratory-grown, GIA issues a Synthetic Diamond Grading Report, which looks distinctly different from the standard grading report. GIA also laser-inscribes the diamond’s girdle with a report number and a statement that the diamond has been laboratory-grown.

Q: How do you know that your diamond is natural and not a diamond simulant?

A: GIA tests every stone to verify that it is, in fact, a diamond. GIA does not issue grading reports for simulants.

For an overview on fluorescence, read “Understanding Diamond Fluorescence“. For more information on diamonds, download the GIA 4Cs app, now available on iPhone, iPad, and Android!

Color Q&A | Clarity Q&A | Cut Q&A | Carat Weight Q&A

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GIA’s 4Cs Q&A series continues with a careful consideration of carat weight.

Q: What is the difference between carat and karat?

A: Karat (abbreviated “K” or “Kt”) is a unit of measure that describes the purity–or fineness–of gold.

Q: How did the carat system start?

A: The modern carat system started with the carob seed. Early gem traders used the small, uniform seeds as counterweights in their balance scales. The carat is the same gram weight in every corner of the world.

Q: What are “magic sizes”?

A: Some weights are considered “magic sizes”–half carat, three-quarter carat, and carat. Visually, there’s little difference between a 0.99 carat diamond and one that weighs a full carat. But the price differences between the two can be significant.

Q: How is diamond carat weight measured?

A: To determine carat weight, the grader weighs the diamond using an extremely accurate electronic micro-balance that captures the weight to the precise fifth decimal place (the nearest ten-thousandth of a carat).

To see if your knowledge of carat weight measures up, please check out 4Cs of Diamond Quality or download the GIA 4Cs app, now available on iPhone, iPad, and Android!

Color Q&A | Clarity Q&A | Cut Q&A | Carat Weight Q&A

All diamond images and diagrams are for reference only and may not reflect true diamond carat weight.

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Next up in GIA’s 4Cs Q&A series is diamond cut grading.

Q: How does pavilion depth affect a diamond’s cut?

A: The distance from the bottom edge of the girdle to the culet is the pavilion depth. A pavilion depth that’s too shallow or too deep will allow light to escape from the side of the stone and or leak out of the bottom. A well-cut diamond will direct more light through the crown.

Q: Why doesn’t GIA offer a cut grade for fancy-shape diamonds?

A: Establishing quality parameters for fancy-shape diamond cuts is extremely complex–much more so than for round diamonds because of the greater variations in shape–and measuring technology needs to progress far enough to capture the features considered important for fancy shapes. GIA is committed to developing a system that is accurate, comprehensive, and practical.

Q: How is diamond cut evaluated for standard round brilliant diamonds?

A: GIA uses sophisticated optical measuring devices to capture the measurements of those facets that influence the diamond’s face-up appearance. A diamond’s cut grade is established by comparing these measurements against a database of more than 38.5 million proportion sets of known grades and by the visual observations of polish and symmetry by GIA expert graders.

To read more about how a diamond’s cut is evaluated, please visit our 4Cs of Diamond Quality website or download the GIA 4Cs app, now available on iPhone, iPad, and Android!

Color Q&A | Clarity Q&A | Cut Q&A | Carat Weight Q&A

The post 4Cs Q&A with GIA: Diamond Cut Grading appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

Understand all the aspects of the Diamond Clarity Scale, in the second of GIA’s 4Cs Q&A series.

Q: How did the GIA Clarity Scale come to be?

A: Like the color scale, the GIA Clarity Grading System developed because jewelers were using terms that could be misinterpreted, such as “loupe clean” or “piqué.” Today, if you buy a diamond somewhere else in the world, the jeweler will most likely use terms like VVS1 or SI2, even if his or her language is French or Japanese instead of English.

Q: What causes diamond inclusions?

A: Small crystals can become trapped in a diamond when it’s forming. Sometimes as a crystal grows it can develop irregularities in its atomic structure.

Q: How is diamond clarity evaluated?

A: Diamond clarity is graded under standard viewing conditions with 10x magnification. The preliminary GIA grader carefully examines the diamond in order to identify clarity/finish characteristics and evidence of any clarity treatments, such as fracture filling or laser drilling.

A minimum of two GIA graders assign their impression of the diamond’s clarity, polish, and symmetry. Next, they plot the clarity characteristics on the diagram most representative of the diamond’s shape and faceting style.

GIA Clarity Scale
The GIA Clarity Scale has six categories, some of which are divided, for a total of 11 specific grades.

FLAWLESS (FL)
No inclusions and no blemishes are visible to a skilled grader using 10x magnification

INTERNALLY FLAWLESS (IF)
No inclusions and only blemishes are visible to a skilled grader using 10x magnification

VERY, VERY SLIGHTLY INCLUDED (VVS1 AND VVS2)
No inclusions and only blemishes are visible to a skilled grader using 10x magnification

VERY, VERY SLIGHTLY INCLUDED (VVS1 AND VVS2)
Minute inclusions that range from extremely difficult to very difficult to see are visible to a skilled grader using 10x magnification

VERY SLIGHTLY INCLUDED (VS1 AND VS2)
Minor inclusions that range from difficult to somewhat easy to see are visible to a skilled grader using 10x magnification

SLIGHTLY INCLUDED (SI1 AND SI2)
Noticeable inclusions that range from easy to very easy to see are visible to a skilled grader using 10x magnification

INCLUDED (I1, I2, AND I3)
Obvious inclusions are visible to a skilled grader using 10x magnification and may affect transparency and brilliance

For more information on diamond clarity, please visit our 4C of Diamond Quality website or download the GIA 4Cs app, now available on iPhone, iPad, and Android!

Color Q&A | Clarity Q&A | Cut Q&A | Carat Weight Q&A

Clarity diagrams are for reference only and do not reflect true diamond clarity quality grades. Images are not for clarity diamond grading.

The post 4Cs Q&A with GIA: Diamond Clarity Grading appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

Do you know how diamond color is evaluated? GIA kicks off its 4Cs Q&A series with color grading.

Q: Why does the GIA Color Grading System start at D?

A: Before GIA established the D-to-Z Color Grading Scale, a variety of other systems were used loosely, from A, B, and C (used without clear definition), to Arabic (0, 1, 2, 3) and Roman (I, II, III) numbers, to descriptive terms like “gem blue” or “blue white,” which are notorious for misinterpretation. So, the creators of the GIA Color Scale wanted to start fresh, without any association with earlier systems. Thus, the GIA scale starts at the letter D. Very few people still cling to other grading systems, and no other system has the clarity and universal acceptance of the GIA scale.

Q: How is diamond color evaluated?

A: Light source and background can have a significant impact on a diamond’s appearance, so GIA grades color in a standardized viewing environment against color masters. A minimum of two GIA color graders enter independent evaluations of each diamond. Depending on the agreement of these grades and the weight and quality of the diamond, additional GIA graders may enter their own color opinions. The grade is not determined until there is sufficient consensus.

To learn more about how diamond color is evaluated, please visit our 4Cs of Diamond Quality website or download the GIA 4Cs app, now available on iPhone, iPad, and Android.

Color Q&A | Clarity Q&A | Cut Q&A | Carat Weight Q&A

Color diamond images are for reference only and may not reflect true diamond color quality grades. Images are not for color diamond grading.

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A metric “carat” is defined as 200 milligrams. Each carat can be subdivided into 100 ‘points.’ This allows very precise measurements to the hundredth decimal place. The diamond carat weight of a diamond below one carat can also be described by its ‘points’ alone. For instance, a diamond that weighs 0.25 carats could also be referred to as a ‘twenty-five pointer.’ Diamond weights greater than one carat are expressed in carats and decimals. A 1.08 carat stone would be described as ‘one point oh eight carats.’

All else being equal, diamond price increases with diamond carat weight, because larger diamonds are more rare and more desirable. But two diamonds of equal carat weight can have very different values (and prices) depending on three other factors within the 4Cs: clarity, color, and cut.

In other words, knowing all the 4Cs inside and out makes you a much more educated and empowered diamond consumer. Wouldn’t you all agree?

Be sure to brush up on cut, clarity, color and the Diamond Grading Scales.

All diamond images and diagrams are for reference only and may not reflect true diamond carat weight.

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