Blue Diamond Ring – How To Get Started

So you are ready to get a blue diamond ring, or maybe a blue diamond engagement ring? You should be aware of a few things first.

Most (and i really mean that to the tune of about 99.5o%) of blue diamonds on the market for a blue diamond ring did not come out of the ground that way. Those are usually diamonds, that had a different color rough (the original unpolished and uncut version of a diamond) and where than treated later on, to bring out a blue color. in case you are wondering what that treatment is, those diamonds get irradiated.

Please do not get me wrong here, those diamonds are very beautiful, i just thought it was important for everyone to know the truth some retailers will avoid telling you. A natural blue diamond is extremely rare, even rarer already set in a blue diamond ring and demands a premium price on the market. I will assume for the moment, that you are not ready to sell your house just yet to buy a natural one, so i will stick with the treated diamond.

A Blue Diamond (treated or otherwise), is judged by the same criteria as it’s white counterpart and that is by what the industry refers to as the 4 c’s: Color: with a treated blue diamond you would want a sky blue, or very deep and even blue, but a natural one will be judged by the depth of color. white diamonds are judged from D-Z, with D being the whitest and M-Z diamonds displaying a yellow to yellow/brownish tint. clarity: this shows how many inclusions (flaws) a diamond has. from best to worst it goes F = Flawless, IF = Internally Flawless (might have some pinpoint or a little scratch on the outside), VVS1 = Very Very Slightly Included (you will need a very strong microscope to see anything), VVS2 = Very Very Slightly Included, VS1 = Very slightly Included (you will not find any inclusions with a loupe = 10 x magnification), VS2, SI1 = (here you can see inclusions with the loupe, although it will be hard for an untrained eye), SI2 = (you should see inclusions with a loupe, even if you are not trained) and this is probably your best bet for a Blue Diamond Ring, since it provides the best balance between clarity and price, SI3(on EGL certificates) = you will see inclusions with a loupe, and probably even with the naked eye, unless you are completely blind, in which case i suggest to bring someone along when you shop, I1,-I5 = very easy to see inclusions without any magnification.

I will take a break for a little bit, but please stay tuned for the next installment, but i will be back with more information on how to pick your blue diamond ring .

Things To Consider

Other Blue Diamond Ring tips:

Do not, ever, buy a blue diamond ring that does not come with certification. The two main organizations that certify diamonds are the G.I.A. (gemological institute of america) and the E.G.L. (european gemological laboratory). Do not accept any other certificates, unless you know and trust the jeweler you are buying from. Both of these institutions have are very reputable and their certificates are detailed.

When you buy online, check out the certificate, make sure that polish and symmetry are good or above and be sure you pick a company that let’s you return your blue diamond ring. This is important, since a diamond may show well on paper, but in reality you actually do not like it. There is nothing wrong, with not liking a particular diamond, since this is a very personal decision and you want to be happy with what you have.

Do not buy jewelry that you can not afford. I know that sounds silly, but it really is not. Jewelry is supposed to be worn with pride and enjoyment. That will not happen, if you look at your blue diamond ring and fret about the money you spend. Also keep in mind, that even though we buy diamonds for their beauty, they also retain their value and keep up with inflation. So even at a later date, diamonds can always be turned into cash, with a profit, if done correctly.

How does all this information pertain to your blue diamond ring?  Well, all of the above is true for a blue diamond, as it is for white diamonds or other colored diamonds, natural or enhanced.

If you are ever offered a natural blue diamond beware, those are so rare, that most jewelers will never even see one and they will most certainly not be set in a Blue Diamond Ring, since it would be much easier for the jeweler to just set it with the customers chosen semi-mount.

The most famous of all natural blue diamonds is the Hope Diamond. The Gemological Institute of America put the weight of this diamond at 45.52 carats (9.104g) and described it as “fancy dark grayish blue”, before changing their minds in 1996 and calling it “fancy deep grayish blue”. Under ultraviolet light, the stone shows an unusual brilliant red phosphorescence, making it truly a one of a kind. This stone is way to big to set in a blue diamond ring.

Feel free to drop me a comment. I shall keep this blog as subject specific as possible, however, since i have spend a long time in the jewelry industry, i will be able to answer almost any questions you may have.

Ok, a friend of mine asked me a simple question: should i buy a natural colored diamond, or an enhanced one. Well, the answer has a lot to do with your pocketbook. Obviously, if you can afford a natural colored diamond, go for it. Most people however, do not have the resources for this, especially if we are talking about a natural blue diamond. Enhanced blue diamonds tend to be very reasonable in price and therefore a good choice for your Blue Diamond Ring, if you are on a budget.

Blue Diamond Ring

Now it is time to talk about the one factor of your Blue Diamond Ring that is overlooked by many, but that i can not emphasize enough. The importance of the cut. When a diamond cutter  sees a rough, he has to determine, how to cut the stone. This depends largely on the clarity of the rough, since any decent cutter will want to have the cleanest possible diamond, while maintaining the highest weight.Take a rough, cut it one way and it will be the most beautiful diamond , cut it a different way and it will not be so desirable.  What is the difference you ask? The weight! In creating the sparkling diamond you desire, the cutter will have to sacrifice some weight, making heavier, perfectly cut diamonds even rarer.

The goal in terms of extracting the greatest beauty from a Diamond, is to have light enter a Diamond, disperse the light as it bounces inside, thereby producing the different colors and sparkly effect, finally returning as much light to the eye as possible.The illustration at the top of the page shows a round brilliant cut diamond cut with what is considered to be within the range of ideal cut diamonds. If you cut the diamond to shallow, it will make it appear a lot larger than it actually is, which is ok, if you simply want a bigger stone in your Blue Diamond Ring, but it will not have the correct fire and brilliance that you expect. The same is true if the diamond is cut too deep, since light will leak out and has no chance to reflect back to the eye.

According to GIA: A polished diamond’s beauty lies in its complex relationship with light: how light strikes the surface, how much enters the diamond, and how, and in what form light returns to your eye. The result is a display of three attributes. Brightness is the combination of all white light reflecting from the surface and interior of a diamond. Fire is the colored flashes that can be seen in a diamond. Scintillation describes the sparkle of light you see in a diamond, and the overall pattern of bright and dark areas when you look at a diamond face-up. A polished diamond’s proportions affect its light performance, which in turn affects its beauty and overall appeal. Diamonds in a blue diamond ring with good proportions optimize the interaction with light, and have good brilliance, fire, and scintillation.The Design (weight ratio, durability) and Craftsmanship (polish, symmetry) of a diamond also affect its cut quality, and are considered in determining a diamond’s GIA Cut Grade.

Ultimately, there are lot of factors to consider when looking for your Blue Diamond Ring.

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