Engagement Rings – Diamond Size versus Quality Debate
To a woman becoming engaged, nothing makes her happier than being presented with an engagement ring that contains a large diamond. Obviously, anything weighing one carat or more and of high quality is going to cost thousands of dollars so this type of purchase is a serious investment. Now, some people choose a large diamond but one of poor quality. As a result, the price is cut substantially. The debate is whether it is worth investing in a large diamond of quality or saving money on a large diamond of poor quality.
Well, quality is important when it comes to buying a diamond engagement ring. However, diamonds are rated on a variety of things such as cut, clarity, and color. In addition, every diamond has some type of flaw, some that are not relevant and some that are. The key is choosing the largest stone money can buy but without purchasing a ring with serious flaws. With knowledge, you might be able to purchase a large diamond engagement ring with insignificant flaws, meaning you get both size and quality.
Some diamond flaws are so small and insignificant that it would not matter. In this case, the diamond would still be considered quality, offering good clarity and color, as well as being structurally sound. In other words, flaws, also called inclusions, could be superficial or they could cause serious issues, from a structural and appearance standpoint. Think of flaws like fingerprints, with each diamond mined and cut having special features.
A flawless stone would cost tens, if not hundreds of thousand dollars whereas a large stone with minor flaws would be far more affordable. A serious flaw would create a dull stone that would be at risk of shattering whereas a minor flaw might still result in a gorgeous and strong diamond. The following are flaws commonly found in diamonds:
• Mineral/Crystal Flaws – Sometimes, diamonds have minerals or crystals imbedded. If small, they would not be seen with the naked eye but if the minerals and crystals are grouped, they could reduce the diamond’s clarity.
• Pinpoint Flaws – These dark or very small crystals can be standalone or in a group. If clustered, the diamond would appear cloudy and have low clarity.
• Laser Line Flaws – If lasers are used to remove other dark inclusions in a diamond, lines could be left behind, which creates a thread-like appearance on the surface that moves inward. Depending on the depth of the line, it may or may not cause structural problems with the diamond.
• Feather Flaws – Feathers are actual cracks that cause more distraction to the diamond’s appearance than structural weakness but if the feathers were deep, the diamond could shatter if dropped or bumped.
• Cleavage Flaws – This type of flaw is similar to feathers except the crack is in a straight line. Typically, small cleavage flaws cannot be seen but again, if they are deep in the diamond, risk of shattering is increased.
• Girdle Fringe Flaws – Also known as “bearding”, these hair-like lines can appear around the diamond’s girdle, which occurs while being cut. Usually, small bearding is no big deal but if the fringes are extensive, they would need to be polished out, or the diamond re-cut.
• Grain/Growth Line Flaws – These lines are the result of irregular crystallization during the period when then diamond is formed. If the grain or growth lines were colorless, the diamond would look fine but if they have color or they are grouped, the level of clarity would be greatly reduced.
