Loose Diamonds 101: The Four C's

You have likely heard of the four C's of loose diamonds, but just in case you have not, here is a little reminder:

Cut- The cut of the diamond refers to its overall shape, but it also factors in the many facets cut into the stone to give it its bling factor. White diamonds are translucent, so you can see into them. When looking into a white diamond, you will see lines.They are what reflect light in many different directions, making the ring shiny and sparkly. There are many cuts available, but some of the most popular are: Round, princess, asscher, cushion and emerald.

Clarity- The clarity of the diamond refers to whether or not it is overtly transparent or not. A perfectly transparent diamond is very expensive, so expect most loose diamonds to have some sort of blemish or inclusion.

Color- White diamonds are not all perfectly white (colorless). Many have hints of yellow or brown in them. There is a scale ranging from perfectly colorless stones to stones with a high presence of another color.

Carat- The bigger the stone, the bigger the carat. Usually this means the more expensive the stone, too, but is not necessarily the case depending on the other three categories. The certified loose diamonds in the jewelry store are usually 1-2 carats.

Start Your Custom Design by Purchasing Loose Diamonds

If you are considering designing your own piece of jewelry, you may want to begin by purchasing the loose diamonds of that piece of jewelry first. This is a great first step because the rest of the ring will be designed around the loose diamonds you have chosen to use. It will also make it easier on your jeweler. Preferred Jewelers International has composed a list of jewelry stores all over the country to help you find the perfect certified loose diamonds for your next jewelry design. These independently owned jewelry stores are being recognized for the expertise in their field. 

Anyone who is familiar with jewelry will know a little bit about the four C's of loose diamonds. Color, cut, clarity and carat weight are the four main categories of how certified loose diamonds are given a monetary value. If you do not know about these four categories, feel free to go to the Preferred Jewelers International website for a little bit of education on the subject. You will also find the jewelry stores recognized by this company are some of the best in the country. They take pride in finding exactly what you want and have vast selections from which you can choose.

Jewelry Stores: Do a Little Homework before Your Purchase

There are many jewelry stores in your area who specialize in just about anything pertaining to the jewelry industry. Some stores excel in clock making, custom design or pearl bead restringing. No matter what service you are looking for, it will more than likely be available in your area. Once you have located a jewelry store that performs the type of service you require, it is very important to look online and read reviews that have been posted by other people who have done business there. They may be able to provide some helpful tips before you even walk into the store.

The internet has made it so easy for people to access a wealth of information. No matter where you live or what you do for a living, the same resources are available to everyone. Even if you cannot afford to have a laptop and an internet connection in your home, there are many public buildings, like the library, where you can go online free of cost. Here you can research whatever it is you desire to know more about. If you want to take your significant other out to a nice restaurant, you may want to read reviews about the restaurants in your town. If you are looking to buying an engagement ring, then you may want to research jewelry stores in the area.

Jewelry Store Employees Need Hands-On Learning, Too

Experience is a necessity when it comes to your specialty. Yes, you can go to school and learn a lot of facts about what you plan on doing for living, but without hands on experience, you may not realize exactly what it is all about. A perfect example is a surgeon. Although this person has had extensive education and formal training in the medical field, he or she will not completely realize everything the job entails until they get into a residency or other situation where they can do some hands on work. In a staged environment such as a classroom, everything is controlled, but in the real work there will be many variables that come into play on top of performing what you have learned in school.

Another great example is jewelry stores. Yes, it seems like jewelry stores would be a pretty controlled environment, but that is probably because you have not experienced a woman freaking out because her diamond ring has become chipped or she flushed her wedding ring down the toilet by accident. When you factor emotions into the equation, people will act differently and there will be more pressure to perform satisfactorily. Believe it or not, some people view jewelry as a life or death situation!