Diamonds & Stones: An Insider’s Guide
How Can You Profit From My 50 Years as a Jeweller ?
You can profit by carefully reading these pages. I am going to arm you with the most important commodity you can have while searching for a diamond, or any other gem for that matter, KNOWLEDGE!
For forty-five years, I have been making heirloom-quality jewellery for my clients. I am about to share with you what I share with them: the knowledge it takes to make an informed purchase and to protect yourself from being taken advantage of.
Whether you're buying from an internet vendor, your local jeweler, or me, there are things you need to know. This knowledge will make you the person with the power. You will no longer be the neophyte hoping you are dealing with an honest jeweller.
Knowledge Is Power!
With the knowledge I am sharing here, you will be able to separate the truth-tellers from those who may not know the truth themselves—or, sad to say, those who might lie to take your money. More importantly, you will have the knowledge you need to negotiate from a position of strength.
Part 1: Diamonds
When looking at diamonds, you must understand the Four C's and how they affect the look of your stone.
Cut
This is the most important of all the C's, yet the least understood. When a diamond is cut to precise proportions, light is reflected from one facet to another and dispersed through the crown of the stone.
Too Deep: If the cut is too deep, light escapes through the opposite side of the gemstone.
Too Shallow: If the cut is too shallow, light escapes before it can be reflected.
Only the world's most skilled cutters can successfully unleash a diamond's rare fire. In the coming years, you will see much more regarding "performance-based cutting analysis."
Color
Color is the second most important "C" and is often sold for the wrong reasons. Diamond color refers to the presence of body color—normally a yellowish tint that isn't seen unless compared against a truly colorless stone.
The color grading scale runs from D (perfectly colorless) through Z (where the color is so bright it becomes desirable again). To grade this, we use "Master Stones" certified by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) or AGS to compare against stones of unknown color.
Important Considerations on Color:
Not all color is yellow: Stones can be colored by brown or gray. Browns are considered less attractive, so prices may be lower. Cheap retail jewelry often uses "Top Light Browns" that look white from the top but brown from the side.
"Fancy" Colors: When a stone gets far enough "down" the scale, it becomes attractive again and is called a "Fancy." A fancy red diamond might cost $1,000,000 per carat!
Color isn't "Bad": Many people actually prefer the warmer tone of a J-K-L color stone against their skin compared to the "hard," perfect white of a D color.
The Metal Matters:
Platinum: You need a higher color (G or better) so the stone doesn't contrast poorly with the white metal.
White Gold: High color is less important, as white gold itself is a yellowish-white alloy.
Yellow Gold: You can use a lower color, and it will still look white by comparison.
Expert Tip: The cut greatly affects how color shows. A superior cut will often look one to three color grades higher than a traditionally cut diamond of the same color.
Clarity
Clarity is arguably the least important "C" regarding beauty, yet it is the one you hear about most. Clarity grades run from Flawless to Industrial Bort.
The Clarity Scale (GIA System):
FL (Flawless): No inclusions or surface blemishes visible at 10X magnification.
IF (Internally Flawless): Internally free of inclusions at 10X, but may have minor surface blemishes (like polishing marks).
VVS1 & VVS2 (Very Very Slightly Included): Inclusions are extremely difficult to see under 10X magnification.
VS1 & VS2 (Very Slightly Included): Inclusions (crystals, feathers, clouds) are hard to see under 10X, but more than just pinpoints.
SI1 (Slightly Included 1): Inclusions are easily seen with a 10X loupe. You may see laser drill holes here.
SI2 (Slightly Included 2): Inclusions are obvious under magnification and might be visible to the naked eye, especially in large stones or fancy shapes.
I1 (Imperfect 1): Heavy-duty inclusions. Some are cloudy; others are surprisingly beautiful with inclusions hidden near the edges.
I2 (Included 2): "Pump up the volume and the ugliness." These stones are rarely pretty and are structurally weak.
I3 (Included 3): Often referred to in the trade as "frozen spit." These are lifeless lumps that shouldn't be sold as fine jewelry.
The "SI3" Controversy: In the 1980s, the EGL (European Gem Lab) introduced the SI3 grade for stones that were too good to be I1 but not quite good enough for SI2. The GIA does not recognize this grade, but it exists in the market.
Money-Saving Advice: Until you get to the lower reaches of the clarity scale, you are spending money to appease a desire for the "best" on paper, not changing the actual look of the diamond. A clean SI1 or SI2 can look identical to a flawless stone to the naked eye but costs significantly less.
Don't just buy the paper; look at the stone!
Part 2: Colored Stones
Buying colored stones is more difficult than buying diamonds because there is no universally accepted grading standard. One dealer's "nearly flawless" is another's "moderately included."
Clarity in Colored Stones
The GIA divides gems into three categories for clarity grading:
Type I (e.g., Aquamarine): Often virtually inclusion-free.
Type II (e.g., Ruby): Usually included.
Type III (e.g., Emerald): Almost always included.
A Type I stone should be eye-clean. However, a Type III stone can have visible inclusions and still be considered beautiful and valuable. If your jeweler doesn't understand these distinctions, find a specialist.
Color Theory
Color is everything in a colored stone. We describe color using three dimensions:
Hue: The basic impression of color (e.g., Blue, Greenish-Blue). The eye can discern about 150 hues, but gemology uses 31 specific hue descriptors.
Tone: The lightness or darkness of the color, graded on a scale from Colorless (0) to Black (10). In gems, we usually look for tones between 2 (very light) and 8 (very dark).
Saturation: The strength, purity, or intensity of the hue. Grades range from Grayish/Brownish to Vivid.
The Impact of Light: A stone can look completely different in fluorescent light versus incandescent light.
ALWAYS look at a stone in different lighting conditions (indoor, outdoor, shade, and sun) before buying.
Cut
There is no standard for cutting colored gems because each stone has a unique refractive index. Angles that create an incredible Tanzanite might create a lifeless Amethyst. A good cut makes the stone SING; a poor cut creates a "window" (a clear spot you can see right through).
Final Thoughts: Vote With Your Eyes
Why consider buying from Gerald The Swiss Goldsmith? I bring forty-five years of experience to the table. I will share the fruits of my learning with you whether or not you buy from me, though I hope to earn your business.
What is a rookie to do?
Look: Go out and look at LOTS of stones. You will quickly realize that much of what is sold is garbage.
Verify: Ask to see well-cut stones of high quality. Skip the mall chains and find independent specialists.
Vote: Take all the scientific data, enjoy reading it, and then throw it out and vote with your eyes.
Colored gems are about BEAUTY. Buy the stone that makes your heart sing. If it doesn't, don't buy it!