Customizing your beloved’s engagement ring is not only a growing trend, but also a process that can be quite enjoyable. When looking to give your loved one something uniquely customized, one has to look no further than examples already set by famous celebrities such as Princess Diana and Britney Spears who enjoyed custom engagement ring designs. Additionally, a custom engagement ring’s style can be inspired by the latest designers, including Jack Kelege, Harry Winston and Scott Kay, at a fraction of the price. At Brilliance.com we can help you design and create the perfect engagement ring as well as find the loose diamonds to complement your unique style.
Designing Your Own Custom Engagement Rings
In designing your own engagement rings you can create a ring that is truly one-of-a-kind. People often choose to design their own engagement rings due to not being able to find the perfect ring already on the market. Customizing your own ring allows you to integrate design elements you prefer within currently existing rings, combining them into your own unique style. If you want to keep your design exclusive, ask your jeweler whether they duplicate designs. This can assure you that your custom engagement ring for your beloved will never be re-created.
Custom Engagement Rings and Metals
Custom engagement rings can utilize standard metals such as Yellow Gold, White Gold and Platinum, but can also have more exotic metals such as Palladiam or Rose Gold. Palladium has been used as a precious metal in jewelry since 1939 and is an alternative to platinum or white gold. Its popularity is due to its naturally white properties, giving it no need for rhodium plating. Palladium is slightly whiter than platinum and about 12 percent harder.
Palladium is one of the three most popular metals used to make white gold alloys. Palladium-gold is a more expensive alloy than nickel-gold, but seldom causes allergic reactions. Nearly as rare as Palladium is Platinum. Platinum will not oxidize or decay over time and is naturally white in color. Its scarcity makes it highly prized, but its demanding nature also means that only the most skilled artisans can work with it. A single ounce of platinum not only requires exceptional effort to mine and refine, but it also involves weeks of expert handling to craft into a piece of jewelry.
If you like something more traditional, you may consider yellow or white gold. Gold is the metal that never goes out of style. Depending on your color preference, gold’s yellow tint may be a choice to inset your diamonds. If you love gold but prefer the color white, there is of course the option of white gold. The color of gold jewelry is determined by alloying other metals to pure 24kt gold. Yellow is the most natural, warm and sensual color. For a more elegant appearance, white gold is created by alloying pure gold with zinc, palladium and silver. Gold’s purity is measured in karats and 24kt gold is the most pure at 100%. This class of gold is rarely used in practical jewelry creation given its malleable nature, therefore 18kt gold, which is 75% pure and 14kt gold, which has almost 60% gold content are the most commonly used when creating fine jewelry.
Rose gold is a gold and copper alloy widely used for specialized jewelry due to its reddish color. The highest carat version of rose gold is also known as crown gold, which is 22 carat. An 18 carat rose gold may be made of 25% copper and 75% gold. For 18 carat rose gold, typically about 4% silver is added to the 75% gold and 21% copper to give a rose color. At Brilliance.com we can provide you with any of these types of metals to help you design engagement rings that will be treasured.
Finding The Perfect Loose Diamonds For Your Ring’s Design
Shopping for loose diamonds for your engagement ring requires only a little insight and information to ensure that you find the perfect diamond for the best price. Three critical criteria in evaluating how to choose the right loose diamonds are certification, the 4 C’s, and asking about diamond enhancements.
Certified loose diamonds are diamonds that have been evaluated by an independent lab where they are measured and weighed as well as evaluated for width, length, table and girdle sizes. Diamonds are also at this time graded and assigned a color and clarity grade. Brilliance.com prides itself in selling only certified loose diamonds.
The value of a diamond is based on the 4 C’s of the diamond industry: Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat Weight. Because these elements are critical to the value of a diamond, one wants to steer clear of what is called diamond enhancements. If diamonds have been enhanced, the seller of the diamond must inform you of this. Diamond enhancements include clarity treatments, laser drilling to remove inclusions, application of sealants to fill cracks and color treatments to improve a white diamonds’ color grade.
At Brilliance.com we realize that people who design their own custom engagement rings find that the flexibility and choice make it all worth the while. Armed with information and ideas, you can create the perfect ring for your beloved in no time; yet, the ring itself will be timeless in meaning.
Purchasing loose diamonds can be an investment for the future, so it’s best to choose diamonds that will hold their value in the long term. Although you may not be concerned about the resale value of your diamond at the time of purchase, you may be interested in selling your diamond or trading it in for an upgrade later. When buying a diamond, it is best to know what contributes to its quality and value to ensure that you make a sound purchase. An important factor to consider is whether to buy a natural diamond or a treated or enhanced diamond.
Natural Diamonds
Made from carbon, diamonds are the hardest known substance to man and are both a naturally occurring and manufactured abrasive. Natural diamonds form at high pressure high temperature conditions existing between 85 to 125 miles in the earth’s mantle. It takes a diamond 1 to 3 billion years to form beneath the earth. Once formed, a diamond travels to the earth’s surface via streams of molten rock. Throughout this process, natural diamonds acquire inclusions and or flaws within them that give them their own unique “fingerprint”.
Diamonds can be purchased in various sizes (carats), shapes, colors, and clarities. Natural diamonds are preferred over enhanced or treated diamonds because of their rarity and individual fingerprint. No two natural diamonds in the world are identical; each one is unique whether it’s because of its color or clarity or both combined.
Enhanced or Treated Diamonds
The term “enhanced” may sound like a positive feature, however, any diamond that has been enhanced has been treated and altered from its natural condition to artificially improve its appearance. If you decide to purchase an “enhanced” diamond, find out what kind of treatments have been used and how they might affect the value of the diamond. You should also be concerned with the long term care and appearance these enhancement treatments may have on the diamond, as enhancements sometimes result in discoloration or cracks in the diamond.
Enhanced diamonds, unlike high quality natural diamonds are natural diamonds that have had very specific treatments done to them to improve their characteristics, or their natural “flaws”. One type of treatment is laser drilling, which is a process that removes minor inclusions in a diamond to produce a clarity enhanced diamond. This process will typically create lines that resemble tiny trails, which are visible under side-view magnification. The laser may dissipate the imperfection, or chemicals may be injected into the resulting tunnel to bleach away the color. This is a more permanent process than fracture filling. However, it is highly debated whether or not this process damages the integrity of the diamonds, thereby decreasing the value of clarity enhanced diamonds in the long term.
Fracture filling is a treatment that adds a glass-like resin material to a natural diamond to close small cracks. Since the filling has the same optical illusion and refraction index as a natural diamond, it’s nearly impossible to detect the “repair” to the flaws. Fracture filling is not a permanent treatment as heat from future repairs, cleanings, and even sunlight can erode the filler or possibly darken its color, making the diamond less valuable as time goes on.
One other type of enhancement treatment is called HPHT (high-pressure high-temperature). HPHT is a treatment process that General Electric developed to permanently change the color of a diamond. First used to turn yellowish diamonds into “fancy” colored diamonds, this process is commonly used to turn yellow or brown diamonds into colorless diamonds to be sold at a significantly higher prices. HPHT involves putting a diamond into a pressure chamber and squeezing it at high pressure and high temperature for a short amount of time. Although some feel that this treatment should be considered a standard technique and claim that this process is just finishing the job that nature started, the Federal Trade Commission feels that it is an artificial process and requires that HPHT be disclosed. When HPHT treatment is detected in a diamond, the Gemological Institute of American (GIA) notes it on their reports as “HPHT Annealed” or “Artificially Irradiated” and insists that such diamonds be laser-inscribed with the same designation. A diamond that has been enhanced by GE will be inscribed with the symbol “GE POL”.
Detecting Enhanced or Treated Diamonds
There are different ways to detect if a diamond has had clarity enhancement treatments done to it. As mentioned above, laser drilling results in very thin, white lines or tunnels within the diamond that do not follow the pattern of the loose diamond. When fracture filling is used, the diamond may appear flawless when viewed from the top, but careful examination from the sides or other angles may reveal flashes of color that disrupt the pattern of facets in the diamond. Fracture filled diamonds may also have air bubbles trapped within them. Because these hints are only visible from the sides, it is very important to examine the diamond closely and preferable as a loose diamond rather than set into a diamond ring setting.
The Controversy About Enhanced or Treated Diamonds
Due to the controversial nature of diamond treatments within the industry, the CIBJO (World Jewelry Confederation), the United Stated Federal Trade Commission, and the GIA all require the disclosure of all diamond treatments at the time of sale. Without this disclosure, consumer confidence in diamond purchasing would be significantly damaged.
At Brilliance, we want our clients to be educated about different types of diamonds and diamond treatments so that they can feel confident when purchasing their future loose diamond investments. Most consumers and diamond professionals feel that natural diamonds should not be artificially treated in any significant manner. However, there are many differing opinions about the controversy of enhanced or treated diamonds vs. natural diamonds. As most gemological experts agree, Brilliance recommends purchasing natural certified diamonds and offers only 100% natural and conflict-free diamonds. We do not sell any loose diamonds or diamond jewelry that have been enhanced or treated in any way.
As the 50th anniversary marking Harry Winston’s donation of the legendary 45-carat Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Museum passes, the designers at Harry Winston have undertaken the challenge to design a new setting for the famous blue loose diamond. The goal was to create a piece that reflected the spirit of the American people. Three designs have been selected from dozens of sketches, and the winning design will be announced on September 23rd.
Watch a behind-the-scenes video below about the collaboration between the Smithsonian Museums and the Harry Winston designers who created the selected designs for one of the most famous diamonds.
Shopping for loose diamonds as an investment or for the creation of a diamond ring is becoming a popular trend. However, diamonds are one of those big purchases that you want to make with insight and information. At Brilliance.com, we know it is important that you feel confident in your understanding of what makes a quality diamond before setting out to make your purchase, which is why we want to help you make a good decision the first time. This article will explore the three main criteria to help select the perfect certified diamonds: the 4 C’s, selecting certified diamonds and seeking natural stones.
Using The 4 C’s In Choosing Your Loose Diamonds
A common criteria in choosing loose diamonds includes what is called the 4 C’s. While there are other variables to consider before making your purchase, the 4 C’s include important classifications. Basically, the 4 C’s within the diamond industry are the standards and criteria used to judge the beauty and price/value of all loose diamonds. Most often, diamond shoppers look to color and clarity as the two most important factors when choosing a diamond. However the cut of the diamond will influence fire and brilliance much more than the other two C’s.
Cut - The cut of a diamond is not its shape, but the way it is cut from the original shape of the rough stone. The cut is evaluated by the location of the inclusions and flaws to be eliminated, the preservation of the weight, and the popularity of shape. When a diamond has a high quality cut, incident light will enter the stone through the table and crown, traveling toward the pavilion where it reflects from one side to the other before bouncing back out of the diamond’s table toward the observer’s eye.
Color - Color describes the overall tint of the diamond, from white to yellow. Color is graded on a letter scale from D to Z (D being the best).
Clarity - Clarity refers to the presence or absence of tiny imperfections (inclusions) within the stone, and/or on the surface of the stone. A diamonds’ clarity is graded on a scale from FL (Flawless) to I3 (Many Visible Inclusions), clarity describes the amount and location of “inclusions” in the diamond.
Carat Weight - Commonly confused with size, carat refers to the weight of the diamond when measured on a scale. One “Carat” is a unit of mass that is equal to 0.2 grams (200 milligrams or 3.086 grains) or 0.007 ounce.
Choosing Certified Diamonds Only
In searching for the perfect loose diamonds, finding those that are ‘certified’ is a must. Certified diamonds are diamonds that are labeled “certified,” which means they are guaranteed to have been sent to an independent gemology laboratory where they are then evaluated. The certifier will precisely measure characteristics of the diamond such as width, length, table and girdle size as well as all of the angles created by the cutter. From here, the diamond will be examined by a trained gemologist and assigned a color and clarity grade.
In examining color, the stone is compared to a graded control group of diamonds whose color is known. The gemologist will then assign a color based on the closest match to this control group, as well as using their own experience and judgment.
Next, the loose diamonds are then evaluated for clarity. Clarity is determined by examining the diamonds for inclusions and noting the number, location and size of each. The professional certifier will then assign a grade of clarity, which is again determined by the gemologist’s experience and interpretation of each clarity grade.
There are many gem labs in the industry that help in the process of creating certified diamonds. The most widely known and respected being the GIA (Gemological Institute of America), followed by AGL, EGL, IGI, and HRD.
Once the lab has completed the grading process, a certificate is issued describing the measurements, weight, color, clarity and other observations that were made. These certified diamonds are then passed on to the seller. At Briliance.com we pride ourselves in only selling loose diamonds that have been certified.
Beware Of Diamonds That Have Been Enhanced
In searching for the perfect loose diamonds, beyond making sure you are evaluating it according to the 4 C’s as well as buying only certified diamonds, there is a third element to be aware of — making sure your diamond hasn’t been enhanced. Diamond enhancements are specific treatments, performed on natural diamonds (usually those already cut and polished into gems), which are designed to improve the gemological characteristics and therefore the value of the stone in one or more ways.
Diamond enhancements include clarity treatments such as laser drilling to remove inclusions, application of sealants to fill cracks, color treatments to improve a white diamond’s color grade, and treatments to give fancy color to a white or off-color diamond.
The seller of your diamond must inform you whether the loose diamonds you are purchasing have been enhanced. This is due to regulations by the CIBJO and government agencies such as the United States Federal Trade Commission that explicitly require the disclosure of most diamond treatments at the time of sale.
At Brilliance.com we know that buying loose diamonds or certified diamonds doesn’t have to be a complicated process, just one done with forethought and knowledge. By taking into consideration these three main criteria, you can feel confident you have made a well thought out and intelligent purchase decision.
Brilliance has officially joined Twitter and our corporate username is @brilliancecorp.
Join the conversation as we discuss subjects such as diamonds, engagement rings, and fine jewelry. We will also post tweets on special coupon codes, popular blog posts and industry news.
Thirty nine round cut diamonds are pave set in this white gold diamond engagement ring setting, accenting your choice of center diamond. 3/8 carat total diamond weight.
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