Diamond Buying Guide – Touchstone Jewelers

Diamond Buying Guide

Diamond Experts

Learn what makes a diamond sparkle its brightest with our Diamond Buying Guide. Here, you’ll learn about the 4 C’s – cut, color, clarity and carat weight – and how these help determine the price, rarity and beauty of every diamond you’ll find at Touchstone Jewelers.

Our diamonds are hand-selected for exceptional quality and are evaluated based on a standardized grading scale. Whether you’re shopping for a specific shape, a custom brand, or the perfect color – our vast experience and creative abilities will help guide you to your perfect match.

While nature may determine a diamond’s color, clarity and carat; it takes a master diamond cutter to reveal its true beauty. With our expertise, experience and inside contacts, we have the ability to cut out the middle man and get you the most beautiful diamond directly from the cutter, for the best price.

Contact us to set up an appointment to discuss the diamond of your dreams.

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Diamond Cut

People often confuse a diamond’s shape with its cut. Diamonds come in various shapes including round, square, pear, heart, marquise, and oval, but cut refers to its angles and proportions. Although nature determines a diamond’s other three C’s, it takes a master diamond cutter to reveal its true beauty.

A well-cut diamond reflects light from one mirror-like facet to another projecting light through the top of the stone. The result is a fiery and brilliant display. Diamonds cut too deep or too shallow leak light through the side or bottom, resulting in a lackluster appearance and diminished value.

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Color

Although diamonds come in a kaleidoscope of colors, white-colored diamonds remain the most popular. Diamonds are graded on the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) ranging from D, colorless, to Z, light yellow. Color differences are so subtle that diamond colors are compared to a master set under controlled lighting conditions for accuracy. While grade D colorless diamonds are treasured for their rarity, diamond color is ultimately a personal taste.

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Clarity

Nature ensures that each diamond is as unique as the person who wears it. Naturally occurring inclusions from the earth such as minerals and fractures become identifying characteristics. Master IJO Jewelers magnify diamonds 10x their actual size to more clearly measure these tiny inclusions against the GIA scale of perfection or clarity. Inclusions located on the middle or top of the diamond can impact light’s dispersion, diminishing its brilliance and value. Therefore, the greater a diamond’s clarity, the more rare and valuable it is.

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Carat Weight

Carat is a diamond’s measure of weight, not size. One carat is equal to 100 points, three-fourths carats is equal to 75 points and so on. Since larger diamonds are rarer, a one carat diamond will cost more than twice a half carat diamond (assuming all other characteristics are the same). A diamond’s cut and mounting can make it appear larger than its actual weight, and one of our jewelers can help you find the right diamond and mounting to optimize its beauty.

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