DIAMOND CRASH COURSE
your questions, answered.
One of the biggest purchases you'll make in your life and small enough to balance on one finger. There's a lot of variables that go into choosing the perfect center stone. At Herzog, we want to make sure you understand your options and guide you to make the best choice for your lifestyle.
The Four C's: Cut
The cut of a diamond is often thought of as being the shape of the stone. This is a common misconception. When talking about diamond quality, the cut actually refers to the reflective properties of the diamond as determined by the way it was faceted. A great cut is what gives a diamond its fire, scintillation, and brilliance.
The better cut a diamond is, the more sparkle it delivers. Poorly cut diamonds will have dark or grey voids where light has escaped.
The Four C's: Color
The most beautiful and valuable diamonds are known for being bright, clear white. However, many stunning diamonds carry a faint yellow, grey, or brown hue.
While colorless stones are truly beautiful, many stones graded lower can look just as beautiful to the naked eye, especially when set in yellow gold.
The Four C's: Clarity
When diamonds are formed, different imperfections can form under the surface, including bubbles, cracks, and carbon deposits.
Nearly all diamonds contain inclusions. Some inclusions are easy to hide or hardly noticeable. Some collectors like the look of heavily included stones like the one on the right, called salt and pepper diamonds.
The Four C's: Carat
The carat of a diamond refers to the size of the diamond, and more specifically the weight. Carat weight is the biggest indicator of value of a diamond.
Carat weight is measured to the nearest hundredth, sometimes being referred to as points. Jewelers will also frequently refer to carat size by rounding to the nearest quarter.
The Four C's: Shape
Diamonds come in a variety of shapes. The most popular is the brilliant round, a geometrically engineered cut to highlight the sparkle of a diamond. Other shapes, like ovals and emerald cuts, are also enduring. Unique cuts are also available, including kites, hexagons, and even letter and animal shapes.
Choosing a center stone adds a lot of character to a ring! We always recommend trying out a few options to see what sparks joy, even ones you think you may not like.
Lab Grown Diamonds
Lab grown diamonds are relatively new to the fine jewelry world, but have gained popularity quickly within the last decade. Lab grown diamonds are indistinguishable from natural diamonds without special equipment or engraving on the stone, but are priced at a fraction of what natural diamonds cost. Unlike natural diamonds, they do not retain any value once purchased.
Herzog offers lab grown diamond versions of all of our best selling jewelry; engagements, tennis bracelets, studs, and more. Speak with an associate to find out if lab grown might be a good option for you.