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Who Else Got a Bad Diamond Deal? Here's How YOU Prevent It
by Joel Bleurocque
http://www.fivecdiamond.com
If you're ever buying or selling a diamond, your biggest
question should be: Am I getting a good deal? And it can
become quite a problem to get a good price if you haven't
familiarized yourself with the 4 characteristics that make
a diamond valuable. What are they?
What are they? They're called the 4 C's, and they are Cut
(the shape of the diamond), Clarity (the lack of spots,
cracks and flaws in a diamond), Color (less color means
more value) and Carat, which of course is the weight of
the diamond.
Judging a Diamond's Cut is probably easiest; all you
look for is whether the diamond is not odd shaped. When
your diamond is perfectly round, and about as wide as it
is tall, than that's called a perfect cut. Any damage,
odd shapes like oval diamonds or "stretched", long
diamonds will hurt the value of the diamond. That's
not to say it's not as beautiful, just less valuable.
Clarity is a bit harder to judge because you can't always
see it with the naked eye. However, it's possible to get a
very close estimate simply by holding your diamond against
a lot of light. Do you see any spots, marks of flaws in it?
If it looks as clear as water, your diamond is very
valuable. If it looks polluted and has spots, cracks or
flaws in it, value decreases.
Then there's color; and when we're judging diamonds, color
is bad. The more clear and colorless a diamond is, the more
valuable it becomes. Again, there's an exception: some
colors are very rare and therefore valuable. A good example
is a black diamond, which can be as valuable as a clear one.
And the last, probably most sought after charateristic of
a diamond is the one we all know as "Carat". If you think
1 carat is a pretty good size for the average diamond,
you're wrong. 95% of women will never own a diamond that
size; it's rare.
So when you hit the stores, the traders or the pawn shops,
always remember to pay close attention the 4 C's of cut,
clarity, color and carat.
And there's one more thing you should be aware of: When
you see a diamond that has the words simulated, cz or
labcreated attached to it, you should never pay much.
Even a 1 carat labcreated diamond can be found for less
than $25 if you know where to look.
Especially if you're buying a wedding ring or engagement
ring, it's best to steer clear of simulated diamonds and
go with a natural. Even if you can't tell, she'll
eventually find out. Besides, the value of these kinds of
diamonds quickly decreases, and you don't have to be an
expert in diamonds to spot a fraud. Getting a good deal
on a natural diamond isn't hard; you only have to know
enough to call bluff when a trader is overpriced.
Enjoy shopping!
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