Buying a Diamond

Diamonds have been the symbol of love and commitment for hundreds of years. Men and women in love have been drawn to the beauty of a diamond because of its unique brilliance. No two diamonds are alike, each being as unique as the partnership you are about to embark on, or your marriage that you have already established.

Two diamonds of equal size may look alike at first but may have very different values. The differences between them are subtle, and are due to the four characteristics (4C's) that determine the quality of a diamond.

The 4C's are: Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat Weight.

CUT
Cut refers to the angles and proportions that a skilled diamond cutter creates to transform a rough diamond into a polished diamond. Most diamonds are cut with 58 facets and a good cut is crucial to maximize the brilliance or sparkle of a diamond.

How a diamond handles light

From the table above:
1) A well cut diamond will reflect light internally from one facet to another dispersing it through the top of the stone, therefore maximizing its brilliance.
2) If the cut of the diamond is too deep, some light escapes through the side of the stone.
3) If the cut is too shallow, light escapes through the bottom of the stone before it can be reflected.

Cut also refers to the shape of a diamond. The seven most popular shapes of a diamond are: Round , Marquise, Pear, Emerald, Princess, Oval, and Heart shape.

COLOUR
The best colour for a diamond is no colour because it is the totally colourless diamond that acts as a prism, allowing light to pass effortlessly through the diamond and be transformed into rainbows of colour.
Diamonds are graded according to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Colour Scale, ranging from D (colourless) to Z (light yellow).The differences between one grade and another are very subtle and an untrained eye is incapable of making the accurate colour evaluations that will affect the value of the stone dramatically.

Perfectly white colourless diamonds are rare and therefore very valuable. Diamonds also occur in shades and intensities of yellow, pink, blue, brown, green, orange and very rarely, red. These "fancy coloured" diamonds may be highly valued and have their own grading standards.

CLARITY
Almost all diamonds have imperfections called inclusions. These are formed by minerals or fractures while the diamond is forming in the earth. Each diamond is graded according to its unique combination of its inclusions. Most inclusions are not detected by the naked eye and a 10-power magnification along with a trained eye is required for them to become apparent. Clarity is the term used to indicate the extent to which a diamond is free of inclusions.A diamond that is virtually free of any external or internal inclusions is of highest quality for nothing interferes with the passage of light through the diamond thus maximizing its brilliance.

CARAT WEIGHT
Carat is a measure of the weight, not size, of any gemstone. The word carat originated as a natural unit of weight from the seeds of the carob tree. One carat ( not to be confused with Karat-the measure of purity of gold) is equal to 200 miligrams. One carat can also be divided into 100 "points". A 0.75 carat diamond is therefore the same as a 75- point or a 3/4 carat diamond.

The carat-weight alone does not determine a diamond's value. Two stones of equal weight can vary widely in price because of the quality differences. A smaller diamond may actually be more valuable than a larger stone with inferior colour, cut and clarity. Large diamonds of high quality however, are very rare and therefore most valuable.

THE CARE AND CLEANING OF YOUR DIAMONDS

Cleaning
Diamonds cleaned regularly and properly, display the full beauty of their fire and brilliance. As a valued John Lyras client you can have your ring cleaned free of charge, whenever it suits you.
Should you choose to clean your diamond jewellery at home, we advise you to prepare a detergent bath, by filling a small bowl with water and a mild liquid detergent. After a few minutes of soaking (or half hour if the stone is very dull), simply brush the ring and stones gently with a soft toothbrush. Rinse it in clear warm water and pat it dry with a soft,lint-free cloth.

Care of your Diamonds

• DO keep diamonds in a fabric-lined jewel case with compartments. If placed in one compartment together, diamonds should be wrapped seperately because one diamond can scratch or damage another diamond.
• DON'T wear your diamond engagement ring or other diamond jewellery while doing manual work. Although a diamond is the hardest substance on earth, it can be chipped by a hard blow.
• DO make sure that your diamond engagement ring never comes into contact with chlorine or bleach. It won't damage the diamond, but it can pit and discolour the mounting.
• DON'T forget to have your ring checked by us once a year for any loose stones and to ensure the mounting is secure.
• ABOVE ALL, DO remember that you are wearing the most durable, yet beautiful, mineral known to man. So, enjoy wearing your diamonds!