NEW ORLEANS TRADITION
Choosing a Visibly Better Diamond at an Obviously Better Price starts with finding the right combination of the 4 C’s - Cut, Carat, Clarity & Color. Ramsey’s diamontologists are rigorously trained to help you select the right combination to meet your needs and desires. Feel free to educate yourself online, but nothing will compare to an appointment with one of our staff who can guide you through the process and teach you to be a diamond buying expert. This will ensure you get a quality ring at a great price, and she gets a diamond which we’ll sparkle like the northern lights when she shows it off to her friends.Make sure your diamond sparkles.
It's important to know
- CUT: Right proportions means a brilliant sparkle
- CARAT: Weight of a diamond and not its diameter
- CLARITY: The number of visible imperfections in the diamond
- COLOR: How "white" the diamond looks
CUT
The cut of a diamond is extremely important and often times the most underrated. In order for a diamond to have fire, brilliance and sparkle it needs to be cut at the right proportion. Diamonds which are cut too deep look dull as rock salt. Diamonds which are cut too shallow lose light out of the bottom and have no bling factor. Learn why cut might be the most important “C”.
CARAT
Carat is the term which most people are familiar with, but it doesn’t actually refer to a diamond’s diameter. Carat refers to the weight of a diamond. This is why you need to compare every diamond to another because not all diamonds are created equal. You can look at two 1 carat diamonds side by side and find differences because of their proportions.
CLARITY
All diamonds have tiny imperfections. A diamond with little imperfections is more rare and expensive than a diamond with several imperfections. Most diamonds have natural imperfections called inclusions which look like little crystals inside the diamond. When you look at your diamond inside a binocular microscope you’ll be able to see these. The amount, size and location of these inclusions determine the value of the diamond. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has a clarity scale which ranges from Fl (flawless) to I3 (many inclusions visible to the naked eye).
COLOR
Diamonds are graded on the GIA color scale from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow). Diamonds on the ends of the spectrum are most expensive because they are rare. Most people are looking for a diamond as close to the colorless grade as they can afford. Diamonds between the D and F grade are all considered colorless and G to J are considered near colorless.
SHAPE
Shape refers to the form of a diamond when viewed from above or at a profile. When most people think of a diamond it conjures up the image of a round stone. The round stone will always be a classic and is guaranteed to get you the reaction you are looking for, but many women prefer and are interested in more unique diamond shapes like princess, emerald and oval.
Shape does not affect the quality of the diamond. Well cut diamonds of every shape have brilliance, fire and sparkle and their value will endure no matter what. Shape is usually determined by the diamond cutter based upon the natural shape of the stone when it comes from the earth. Each shape filters light differently and represents a different style. Additionally, some ring designs are more suited to a particular shape.
The 4 C's and the diamond are all real important, but you've also got to have the right setting for that diamond. Have you heard about shopping for an engagement or anniversary ring with our designer prototypes?
