Could someone help me understand what I''''m buying?

[pretty_n_pink]

Okay for starters I thought buying a diamond would be easy, well that was a total understatement. Im aware of the cut I want and have an idea of color and clarity. But WHAT in the world does the measurements, certification, and all that other diamond terms mean? I want a diamond with good depth and for lack of a better word SPARKLE. Now I must have just been sheltered but I need some expert advice. I don''t want some salesperson to sell me the diamond I don''t want..Ahh the joys of buying a diamond...

 

[strmrdr]

What shapes are you looking at?

 

[pretty_n_pink]

Princess cut.. Color between E-G clarity at the lowers SI2

 

[lil_jay78]

Pink, go through the tuturial section here as thoroughly as you possibly can. They pretty much explain ALL the numbers and measurements and how they will affect your sparkle. For example, there are some good pictures that explain how depth affects the light return for a diamond.

Best of luck on your research. After you go through the tutorials, then go ahead and ask on the PS forum for people to elaborate. Those tutorials really help!

 

[JulieN]

The Matter of Depth in a Princess Cut

 

[Capitol Bill]

All good advice above. Take some time to learn and you''ll be on the right track. There is a lot of new information about princess cuts and what to look for if you''re after optimum light performance. Feel free to post questions as they arise.

Bill Scherlag

 

[Paul-Antwerp]

If you are talking princess-cuts, these are the most important points to know.

Traditionally, princess-cuts have been cut for weight and not for light performance. Still, the majority of princess-cuts on the market are in this category. If you are faced with such a stone, it is a good idea to follow the parameters of the AGA-charts, thus paying more attention to a higher crown height and a smaller table.

Since last year, AGS has started grading the light performance of princess-cuts, and this group of stones are not comparable to those of the first group. The first group of diamonds on average scores AGS-5 or lower, on a scale where the top-grade is 0, going down to 10. The AGA-guidelines do not apply to AGS-graded diamonds, since the stones are cut starting from a totally different background. In this, AGS-grading is much more advanced.

Hope this helps,