How to Check the Quality of a Diamond

Buying a diamond can be a momentous occasion so as the buyer you would want to know whether the diamond quality is worth the value you pay for it. But how can you check the quality of a diamond?

It doesn’t matter whether you are buying a diamond engagement ring or buying loose diamonds, it is completely normal for you to know the correct details to know whether your diamond is authentic or not.

Over time, fake diamonds have been released on the market that can be easily mistaken for real diamonds.

Check out this guide we made on how to avoid scams and get a good diamond for your money.

These are real gems that can strongly resemble real diamonds. These fake diamonds can take the shape of a colorless sapphire, topaz or zirconia. If you don’t know what to look for, you can easily be a victim of buying these gems that passed as real diamonds and paying a higher value for it.

There has been also many laboratories that pop up that create gems to resemble a diamond for example, YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet), or CZ (synthetic cubic zirconia), GGG (gadolinium gallium garnet) or even fake moissanite gems that are specially manufacture to mimic the features of a diamond.

Related: The Difference Between a Diamond and Cubic Zirconia

If you are wondering how to check the quality of a diamond, here is some useful information to know.

4 Easy Steps to Check the Quality of a Diamond

1. Checking the quality of a diamond is to look at its clarity.
2. Clarity refers to how many inclusions or blemishes are found within the diamond.
3. Inclusions can be seen as dark spots and will affect the appearance of the diamond’s luster.
4. Blemishes are typically caused by heat, pressure, or chemicals from mining processes.

The 4C’s to Check if Your Diamond is High Quality

1. Cut

   The first thing to look for is the cut quality of your diamond. The cut can have a major importance on the aesthetic aspect of how your diamonds look. If a diamond is well cut it can dazzle and shine in every angle and facet of your diamond as the light hits it.

   According to the AGS ( American Gem Society ) if your diamond is a well-cut diamond it will have more life and sparkle than a diamond with a lesser cut quality.

   Related: How Can You Tell That A Diamond Is Real?

   The three optical effects to see the cut quality of a diamond:

   • Brightness: The brightness is the white light reflection on your diamond.
   • Fire: The flashes of color your diamond is the fire that displays as light refracts due to a prismatic effect.
   • Scintillation: To see a scintillation, it is the play between the light and dark areas of your diamond.

   The cut quality of your diamond can be seen if the contrast between light and the dark areas of your diamond is absolutely perfect. The perfect contrast will ensure that your diamond will have a brilliant yet sharp appearance.

   The American Gem Society (AGS) will use a 10 point cut quality scale but sometimes there can be other cut quality grading scales that other laboratories will use. These cut quality scales are important because they help assess and understand the quality and worth of your diamond.

   There are many who may be confused because the cut and the shape of a diamond are not the same although the cut is related to the shape.
   The cut quality for AGS grading ranges from:

   • Ideal Cut (0)
   • Excellent Cut (1)
   • Very Good Cut (2)
   • Good Cut (3 to 4)
   • Fair Cut (5 to 7)
   • Poor Cut (8 to 10)

2. Carat

   The carat weight will be the one to objectively identify the quality of the diamond among the 4C’s. A jeweler’s digital scale can measure a diamond’s carat weight.

   Diamonds with a higher carat weight are usually worth more than smaller diamonds and the carat weight assigned to it will determine the quality and value of the diamond.

   However, not all carat weights were created equal. If the diamond has a higher carat weight but received poor grades in other aspects like cut, color and clarity, it can be worth less than a diamond with a lower carat weight that has higher points in clarity, cut and color so you should always remember this.

3. Clarity

   The clarity rating of your diamond is another important element to know about. A perfect flawless diamond has now inclusions or visible imperfections on its surfaces.

   A diamond with poor clarity will have inclusions or imperfections that can be easily seen using only the naked eye.

   Why is diamond clarity so important? The AGS stated that diamonds that have a higher clarity are more rare and valuable. To spot a diamond with poor quality they will have less brilliance and have a cloudy appearance, not unlike clear and sparkling diamonds with a better clarity.

   Diamonds that received a lower quality grade can be easily chipped, cracked or can shatter on impact if smashed or dropped. You can see if the diamond has low quality if they have visible inclusions along their edges.

   A diamond that is truly flawless is often rare and comes with an impressive price tag. If you are untrained, a diamond that receives a low clarity grade can seem okay to your eye because their inclusions are hidden.

   These diamonds are called “eye clean” diamonds and they are also popular among those starting with buying diamonds as they are less expensive but look beautiful as well.

   If you want to know the true clarity of your diamond, have it looked at under a jeweler’s loupe for further examination to find any inclusions or imperfections.

4. Color

   The color of your diamond can say much about its value. The truly perfect diamond is devoid of color and any hint of color will have a huge difference in the quality of the diamond.
   If you notice that your diamond has tinges of yellow or brown, the presence of more color and the deeper tint can dramatically change the value and quality of your diamond.

   The color quality of a diamond can be checked using a 23 color grading scale that ranges from the letter D to Z with each letter corresponding to 5 sub-categories of color quality.

   Quality Diamonds You Deserve

   Whether you’re buying or planning to invest in diamonds, you deserve to get its best quality. Let our team at Shira Diamonds assist you!

   Contact us now for more information!

More from Shira Diamonds

Anything You Need to Know About G and H Diamond Colors
The Bigger the Better: 6 Ways to Enhance Your Engagement Ring