May 26, 2008

Misconceptions About Diamonds

Diamonds are the ‘in- thing’ today and are captivating in every sense of the word. Nevertheless, many myths prevail amongst the diamond users today.

One of them is that diamond being the hardest material found on earth is nearly indestructible and thus maintenance free. This is far from truth. If the diamond is used in a haphazard manner it can chip, break or is damaged to a great extent. Another myth is that diamonds are very expensive. Diamonds are priced on various parameters. This includes the Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat, better known as the 4C’s grading system of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the conflict free source, authenticity etc. A loose diamond can be bought for as less as $250, provided one compromises or even forgoes, the above parameters.

One more common misconception regarding loose diamonds is that a large diamond is expensive than a smaller diamond. The price of the diamond depends upon the 4 C’s i.e. Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat weight. Suppose a diamond has a better cut and clarity but is smaller in size, chances are that it may cost more. People also believe that diamonds are rare and the most expensive of all the gemstones available. It is not always so. The shortage of diamonds is mostly a man made one. Diamonds are found aplenty all over the world and there are other gemstones, which are rarer. Emeralds and Rubies of higher qualities may burn a hole in your pocket rather than diamonds.

Another myth is that a jeweler’s best diamonds are used by the jeweler to craft his jewelry. The jeweler’s best diamonds are his solitaires. This is because he smartly covers the flaws, inclusions etc. of the diamond in the jewelry he crafts. The solitaire is offered for inspection to the customer. One more myth is that more the facets of the diamonds, the better. The main function of the facet is to increase the refractive index of the diamond.

Thus, the number of facets is immaterial. What matters is how the artisan cuts the facets.

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