Numerous elements play a role in a diamond’s cost. Cut, clarity, color, shape, fluorescence and certification are among these elements. Let us analyze each element and in what way it affects the gemstone’s cost.
How Does Color Affect Diamond Cost?
The diamond color is among the biggest determinants of the gemstone’s cost. Generally, the color and the level of its intensity affect a particular diamond’s beauty. The bigger amount of yellow tint the stone contains, the less will be its cost. So, be sure to select the appropriate color that is correctly visible in your preferred diamond – when it is white, you cannot mistake it for yellow. Similarly, if it is a yellow diamond, then the color should be sufficiently saturated to appear stunning to the naked eye.
The diamond color scale begins from D (that represents colorless) and ends with Z (that has slight brown or yellow tints). The priciest option is generally the white or colorless diamond. So, some people suggest picking an H color graded diamond. Diamonds that fall in the ‘near colorless’ range provide the best balance between cost and quality. Pick these stones to save enough money on color and have a 1 carat diamond for the best cost.
What Is The Role Of Clarity In Diamond Cost?
Clarity facilitates distinguishing a ring set with a valuable one carat diamond. The characteristic confirms that you will have the true bang for your bucks. A ‘Flawless’ (FL) graded diamond certified by the GIA will be pricier than the relatively dull random stone. The better the diamond clarity, the more stunning it will be. An FL graded diamond is rare to find in the market, and albeit you discover one, it will be costlier compared to other clarity graded stones.
Go for a VS2 diamond because it offers the best balance between cost and clarity. It can make the stone easier on your pocket. That said, you need to look at every peculiarity of the stone you are going to choose. Albeit choosing VS2 clarity and white color is fair, all inclusions never look the same, and their compositional specifics are important in making the stone.
What Part Does Cut Play In Diamond Cost?
A diamond’s cut has the biggest effect on the price. The priciest diamond cut is termed the ‘round brilliant’. The cut quality will also influence the cost, so it is hard to say a one carat diamond with the round shape will have a specific cost. Generally, it will be priced anywhere between $3,500 and $6,000, but in some cases, the cost could be more or lesser.
Both ‘princess’ and ‘radiant’ cuts are relatively less popular than the ‘round brilliant’, so choosing these two diamonds will not cost you just as much.
To get a better idea about how the cut affects a diamond’s price, look at the price disparity between an uncut and cut stone. A rough diamond’s price will be a lot lesser than the cut one because the former’s light performance will not be as good as the latter’s. Why? Because it is not cut, and cut is the characteristic that affects how a diamond appears under the light.
What Does GIA Certificate Have To Do With Diamond Price?
When purchasing a diamond with any weight, be sure to demand the GIA grading report. The GIA certificate has a complete scientific evaluation of the four characteristics of a diamond, namely cut, clarity, color and carat. A GIA laboratory tests each diamond to ascertain the authenticity of it and whether it has been put through any treatment.
Besides the grading report, the Gemological Institute of America also offers Origin Report, a service which confirms where the polished stones come from.
How Does Shape Affect Diamond Price?
The shape will impact the amount to pay for any diamond. Diamonds with shapes other than the round brilliant are described as ‘fancy’. In other words, all non-round diamonds have fancy shapes. A fancy-shaped 1 carat diamond can cost much more money than what you first planned. For instance, a heart cut diamond is often costlier than all other fancy shapes. A princess, an oval, a marquise or a pear cut diamond is a more affordable option than it.
Some other shapes come with a lessened price because of market fluctuations. Price fluctuations could happen when the demand for some fancy shaped diamonds would change as compared to others.
What Is Diamond Fluorescence And How It Affect Price?
Fluorescence is a diamond’s capability to shine when put under the black light or UV light. Diamond fluorescence is a feature that divides customer opinion. Some customers just love a diamond that fluoresces, but others consider it to be not all that great. Not all diamonds fluoresce, but some do.
What many customers do not realize is that there are some amazing benefits to be had from diamonds fluorescence. Firstly, the price of fluorescing diamonds is somewhat lesser than the non- fluorescing ones. Secondly, fluorescence helps to spot a missing diamond. If the stone has this feature, you may be able to find it by searching with every light in the room turned off except the UV light.