Choose a Natural Diamond

THE FOUR “C’s” Before investing in natural diamonds it is important to assess the quality of a diamond. Today the most used and universally accepted standard to assess diamonds is the GIA grading by the Gemological Institute of America, which is based on the analysis of the 4 “Cs”. CARAT – The carat corresponds to a fifth of a gram and is fractioned in 4 grains or 100 points. (the carat weight is the measurement of how much a diamond weighs. A metric “carat” is defined as 200 milligrams. Each carat can be subdivided into 100 “points”. This allows very precise measurements to the hundredth decimal place).

CLARITY – The clarity refers to the presence of imperfections in the scale ranging from IF – Internally Flawless (the maximum level of purity) to PIQUE (when imperfections are visible to the naked eye).

COLOUR – refers to the nuances of tone of the stone. It starts from the absence of colour (colourless) to yellow and the degree of colourlessness is graded by using a D-to-Z scale.

CUT – Is about the shape and the symmetry of the facets and the angles. The best cut for a diamond is the round brilliant cut where the proportions of the facets and their symmetry influence the face-up appearance and the way the diamond interact with light.

RAPAPORT DIAMOND REPORT The Rapaport Diamond Report is a price list published weekly in New York and it is considered the primary source of diamond price information for the diamond trade. Commonly used by dealers (jewelers and diamond merchants) worldwide it is mostly a guideline for evaluating diamond prices as the real price will be influenced by both the availability of specific stones (stones with specific characteristics), by the fluctuations in the exchange rate as well as the international economic situation. GEMOLOGICAL CERTFICATES A certificated diamond gives you extra peace of mind. Every diamond comes complete with a Diamond Identification Report issued by a gemological institute internationally recognized grading laboratory. This report contains a description of the diamond and guarantees its colour, clarity, carat and cut. In order to assign a diamond a qualification and a consequent value, it is essential that the stone is certificated and provided with a complete gemological identification report/guarantee from internationally recognized grading laboratories. It is also important that whichever laboratory states the quality of the diamond is only laboratory and not a retailer or wholesaler in order to avoid a conflict of interest.

In detail, this report contains not only a description of the diamond and guarantees its colour, clarity, carat and cut, but also the quality of cut, proportions and finish, the fluorescence, all measurements, and all that is essential to determine the value and the price of the diamond at any time. The certificates provided by Davisgioielli Group are issued only by: G.I.A. – Gemological Institute of America (Carlsbad, USA) H.R.D. – Hoge Raad voor Diamant (Antwerp, Belgium) I.G.I. – International Gemological Institute of Antwerp (Antwerp, Belgium) Now there is the opportunity to verify on the internet the authenticity of Diamond certificates entering the website of each gemological laboratory. HOW TO CHOOSE AN INVESTMENT DIAMOND? BY THE COLOR: It is recommended to choose a colour between F (colourless) and F (almost colourless) mostly because the higher level you choose the less possibilities you have to sell it in the future (you reduce the number of potential buyers). On the other hand if you choose a lower grade such as H-I, gradients are already visible to the naked eye. CLARITY – As to clarity it is suggested to choose the best quality is IF (Internally Flawless). CUT – Considered the purpose, the best cut for an investment diamond is the round brilliant cut. It is essential that both the quality and the proportions of the cut matched the parameters established by the gemological laboratories (Excellent or Very Good). CARAT – The best value for investment diamonds are stones that range from 0,5 to 2 carats which are easy to be disinvest. This is why we recommend to investors to purchase several diamonds of the above characteristic instead of a bigger single gem. _____________________________________________________________________________________________