Make Christmas Sparkle with Top Tips on Bargain Bling from Bespokediamonds.com

October 17, 2006 - Press Dispensary - Diamonds are the perfect gift, epitomising glamour, beauty and personal style, whether it’s a simple Tiffany style engagement ring or the gorgeous glitter of J-Lo. But how does a customer begin mining the high street for a bargain? Alexander Parnell, diamond buyer for Brighton based Bespokediamonds.com (http://www.bespokediamonds.com), gives his top tips on how to cast an expert eye over the rocks on offer.

Deciding on the shape of a jewel is completely down to personal taste. Alexander suggests: “Take a look in some jewellers’ windows to see what you like. Rounds are the most popular and the most expensive. Princess cuts aren't far behind. All other shapes, known as fancies, are less common; they are equally beautiful but cheaper in price and make a wise choice - you're sure to get a bargain.”

Jewellers’ jargon can be confusing. Alexander says to look out for ‘the four Cs’: cut, clarity, colour and carat weight. He explains: “These are the criteria used by jewellers to grade diamonds, and having an idea about the product you're buying means you have a far better chance of finding exactly what you want for a good price.”

The cut of a diamond is vital to determining its brilliance. Alexander says: “Even if the diamond has perfect colour and clarity, a poor cut can make a diamond look dull. Polish and symmetry of the facets are the two most important aspects.”

Symmetry is graded as ideal (ID), excellent (EX), very good (VG) or good (G). Alexander warns customers: “Avoid diamonds with symmetry grades of fair (F) or poor (P) - instead go for diamonds graded ‘very good’ or ‘good’ as these are still striking gems and only an expert would be able to detect the difference between these and ‘ideal cuts’.”

Diamonds aren’t known as ‘ice’ for nothing. Those with little colour are the rarest and are priced accordingly. Alexander says: “Knowing the colour grades will help you choose the most brilliant diamonds, as most colours are not noticeable to the unaided eye.”

He explains: “Grade ‘D’ is absolutely colourless - the highest colour grade - and extremely rare. Grade ‘E’ diamonds contain minute traces of colour that only an expert gemmologist can see. Grade ‘F’ is still considered colourless, as the tint is only detectable by an expert. G-I grades are near-colourless, noticeable when compared to diamonds of better grades. J-L grades and M-Z grades have detectable colour tints.

Summing up, Alexander says: “F/G colour diamonds offer the best value as they are definitely colourless but less expensive than D or E graded diamonds.”

Flawless diamonds are naturally the most expensive. Clarity is graded based on the number, location, size, and type of inclusions (blemishes) found in a gem. Alexander explains the clarity grades: “FL and IF diamonds are flawless - they are rare and beautiful.”

“VS1 and VS2 diamonds have slight inclusions, not visible to the unaided eye. Try to stay as close to this region as possible for real value.”

Alexander continues: “SI1 and SI2 diamonds also offer good value. They have inclusions visible under 10x magnification, possibly visible with the unaided eye.”

Once the customer has decided what shape, cut, colour, and clarity grade they're seeking, they can select a carat weight that will fit their budget. However, Alexander advises: “Bear in mind individual style, finger size, and the size of setting as much as the cost.”

When it comes to diamonds, size matters. Alexander says: “Diamond value rises exponentially with carat weight, so a two-carat diamond of a given quality is always worth more than two one-carat diamonds of the same quality.”

He adds: “The best advice I can give on carat weight is to steer clear of rounded up numbers like ¼ carat (0.25), ½ carat (0.50), 1 carat (1.00) and so on, as these attract premium prices. A diamond weighing 0.90 carat could be up to 25% less expensive than a 1.00 carat even though the difference could only be detected by a digital scale.”

Alexander concludes: “The final, and most important, step is to review the diamond certificate. It documents the ‘four C’ grades of a diamond, and is the quality guarantee, so make sure it’s from a reputable lab.”

Bespokediamonds.com sells high quality diamond jewellery online and at its store in Brighton at 40% below retail.

Customers can acquire pictures and tables of grading formats on request. All diamonds are from ethically responsible sources. Advice on precious metal (platinum and gold) is also available.

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Notes for editors
Bespokediamonds.com has been trading online and from its outlet in The Lanes, Brighton, since 2003. It offers a specialised service in both ready to wear and bespoke platinum and diamond wedding and engagement jewellery.

For further information, please contact:
Alexander Parnell, 01273 204481
Bespoke Diamond
Email:
Site: www.bespokediamonds.com
Rachel Nisbet, designer
Tel: 01273 204481
Email: