Diamonds

Shopping online for diamonds is a coming trend. It can be entirely safe and offers an unparallel selection. By comparing prices and the 4 C¡¦s, the buyer is able to decide among the many options available.

The four C¡¦s refers to the four principal characteristics used to grade diamonds. „h Clarity: The flaws in diamonds are called inclusions. They are caused by carbon deposits or small feather cracks while the diamond is formed. Diamonds are rated from flawless (FL) to Imperfect (I1-I3).

„h Color: All diamonds range from clear to yellow. The most valuable diamonds have very little color since color filters and degrades the light emitted and causing the diamond to sparkle less. „h Cut: The cut of the diamond is done ideally in such a way that the fire and brilliance of the stone is maximized. „h Carat-weight: Carat weight of a diamond refers to the weight of the stone. One carat equals 200 milligrams or 0.2 grams.

Carat-weight alone cannot be used to determine the value of a stone. All four factors (and possibly others) are used to judge the quality of a diamond and its price. All other things equal, a two-carat diamond will always be more valuable than two one-carat diamonds.

Now that you have the basic knowledge of diamonds, how do you go about selecting a secure way to purchase online? Actually, the same way you would make any major purchase online. „h Look for a reputable web-site. Amazon.com and eBay are two of the best known sites on the web. Amazon offers jewelry being sold by dealers with detailed descriptions of the diamonds; eBay does not though the customer may ask questions of the dealer if desired.

„h Search for your favorite supplier online. See what services they have available to their clients. „h Identify online suppliers of repute. Diamonds.com in Las Vegas, Nevada, has many security features in place to assure their clients of quality and of safe transactions.

For example, they claim all their diamonds are purchased in New York¡¦s famed 47th Street diamond district and are conflict-free. They do not state if any independent agency, such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), evaluates the stones.

For security, they offer a full-refund for up to 30-days after purchase, are members of the BBBOnLine and the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, process online payments through VeriSign and comply with the TrustE Privacy Program. „h Compare the online diamonds with the diamonds in your local stores. Ask questions of the gemologists or sales people in order to educate yourself further about diamonds.

Diamonds represent eternal love. Exquisite jewelry and stones may be had by searching the Internet for quality, beauty, personalized jewelry and bargains. Good hunting!