How to Inspect a Diamond like a Master Jeweler

Learning how to properly inspect a diamond can go a long way in preparing yourself to get a good deal on that diamond engagement ring. Without being educated in the basics of diamond inspection you are at the mercy of your jeweler in making a very expensive purchase.

Despite what you may think, there isn't much negotiation when it comes to buying diamonds, provided the buyer and seller both know how to properly inspect and grade the stone. By being aware of just a few basic facts you will be well prepared in knowing exactly how much to pay for a diamond.

Here is how to inspect a diamond:

Be sure you have access to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) report of the diamond you are interested in.

Although it is not the only institution in this field, the GIA is internationally renowned for its unwavering consistency and accuracy when it comes to evaluating diamonds.

The most essential tool for any diamond inspectors is the humble eye loupe. The eye loupe is essentially a 10x magnifying glass used by jewelers to study gems of all kinds.

Read the diamond's GIA certification report carefully. There are five C's in diamond inspection and the GIA certification considered to be the first of these. Any diamond with a GIA report means that it is a natural stone and not a synthetic diamond.

The next step is to not the diamond's carat weight.

A carat is one fifth of a gram, and more carats mean bigger and more valuable diamonds. Each carat is represented in 100 points, with each point being 1% of the carat. When you see 75 point diamond it is the same as saying the diamond weighs .75 carats.

Read the GIA diamond report's description of the clarity of the stone.

A diamond's clarity grade is a direct reflection of any inclusions or external blemishes. The clarity scale has 11 grades ranging from I3 (imperfect) to FL (flawless). Most commercial diamonds fall in the SI (slightly included) or VS (very slightly included) range. External blemishes and internal defects lower a diamond's clarity grade.

Use your loupe to inspect the diamond for any internal or external imperfections and compare them to the findings of the GIA report. Inclusions will appear as small dark dots inside the diamond when viewed through a loupe. Most of the diamonds you will see will have a certain number of inclusions; this is expected in commercial grade stones. The inclusions of diamonds that have been rated as VS or above in the clarity scale will not be visible to the naked eye.

Pay attention the reports color grade and inspect its actual color.

The color grade is represented by a letter, and ranges from D (mostly white) to Z (extremely yellow). The closer the grade is to D, the more valuable the diamond. The GIA report will describe colors ranging from colorless to light - colorless or near colorless diamonds are most highly in demand for engagement rings.

Last but not least, consider the cut of the diamond.

This is the 5th of the five C's. The cut of the diamond is not the same as its shape. While the shape of the diamond refers to its general shape, like round or pillow, the cut refers to how well that shape is cut by a diamond cutter. The GIA report rates cuts from Poor to Excellent, with three levels in between. These levels describe the quality of the diamond's cut, which is in turn totally dependent on the skills of the diamond cutter. When shopping for engagement rings make sure you stick to the good or higher rating in this category.