Tips for buying YOUR perfect diamond

Do you need some tips for buying an engagement ring or diamond stud earrings? Jive Jewelry compiled some helpful advice for buying a diamond. If you don't know what to look for, buying a diamond can be a stressful process. How can you guarantee you are getting a great diamond at a fair price?

Jive Jewelry wants to help you pick out the correct diamond for your diamond stud earrings. Before buying any diamond, you should consider the four C's of diamonds:

• Color
• Cut
• Clarity
• Carat
  

Colour

First, let's talk about a diamond's colour. Typically, a diamond acts as a prism and divides light into a spectrum of colours. The divided light is reflected producing colour bursts known as fire.
In a colourless diamond, all of this light would be emitted; however colourless diamonds are very rare. The colours in a diamond act as a filter, and stop the light from being emitted. A diamond with more colour emits less light.

Typically, diamond colour scale ranges from D to Z. A diamond with a colour grade of D is completely colourless. The following list outlines each colour grade:

D: This diamond is completely colourless and is very rare and
expensive.
E: This diamond is still classified as
colourless.Only a gemologist can see the colour and is still extremely rare.
F: This diamond is still classified as colourless.An expert
gemologist can detect the slight colour and is a very high-quality diamond.
G-H: These diamonds are near-colourless. High quality and a
great value.
I-J: These diamonds contain slight colour that
can be seen when you compare the diamond to better grades. Still a good value.
K-Z: These diamonds contain colour and are normally only used in smaller earrings or pendants when light refraction is not as important.

Diamonds act as prisms and divide incoming light into a spectrum of colours and reflect this light as colourful flashes known as fire. Any colour in a diamond acts as a filter, and diminishes the spectrum of colour emitted. The less colour in a diamond, the more brilliant the fire, and the better the colour grade.

Cut

A diamond's cut directly affects the sparkle (or brilliance) of the diamond. Even with perfect colour and clarity, a poor cut makes the diamond look dull. A diamond's roundness, and the depth and width determine the brilliance.

The width and depth have the greatest effect. If a diamond is too shallow, light is lost of the bottom. On the other hand, if your diamond is too deep, light is lost out of the sides and your diamond will appear dull.

Your diamond's proportions determine how the light is reflected and refracted:

• Depth: Height of your stone (measure from the culet to the
  table)
• Diameter: Width of the diamond when measure through
  the girdle
• Table: Largest facet
• Girdle: The narrow band around the widest part of your
  stone
• Crown: Top of the diamond that extends from the
  girdle to the table
• Culet: Facet at the tip of your stone
• Pavilion: Bottom portion of your diamond (measure from the
  culet to the girdle)
  

Polish

The polish describes your diamond's smoothness.

• Polish - If you surface is poorly polished, your diamond will produce a
  dulled sparkle
  

Symmetry

The symmetry of your diamond describes the alignment of the facets of your stone. Poor symmetry results in misdirected light entering and exiting your diamond.

• In ASGL graded diamond - look for a symmetry grade of ideal (ID), excellent
  (EX), very good (VG), or good (G).

• In GIA graded diamond - look for a symmetry grade of excellent (EX), very
  good (VG), or good (G).

• Avoid diamonds with symmetry grades of fair (F) or poor (P).
  

Symmetry Ratings

• Ideal: Reflects nearly all light that enters the diamond. An exquisite and rare cut.

• Very Good: Reflects nearly as much light as the ideal cut, but for a lower price.

• Good: Reflects most light that enters. Much less expensive than a very good cut.

• Fair: Still a quality diamond, but a fair cut will not be as brilliant as a good cut.

• Poor: These diamonds are deep and narrow or shallow and wide and lose most of the light out the sides and bottom.
  

Clarity

Flawless diamonds are the most sought after, and most expensive. When it comes to clarity, you do not need a flawless diamond. Many diamonds have inclusions (scratches, trace minerals) that detract from the beauty of the stone, but often these inclusions are not visible to the naked eye.
The following are a list of standards to describe a diamond's clarity:

• FL, IF: No internal or external flaws.
• VVS1, VVS2: Very difficult to see inclusions under 10x magnification.
• VS1, VS2: Inclusions are not typically visible to the unaided eye.
• SI1, SI2: Inclusions are visible under 10x magnification, and may be visible with the unaided eye.
• I1: Visible inclusion, but still a quality stone.
• I2,I3: Visible inclusions (more pronounced than I1).
  

Best clarity

Jive Jewelry suggests you search for an "eye-clean" diamond when you buy diamond stud earrings. Purchasing a diamond with inclusion that can only be seen with magnification drastically reduces the cost, without affecting the brilliance of your stone.

Carat

Now that you have decided on the colour, cut and clarity of your diamond, you must decide the carat weight of your stone. This is best left until the end because after determining the other aspects of your diamond, you can simply pick a carat weight that fits your budget.

Small diamonds are found more frequently than larger ones. Therefore, a diamonds value increases exponentially with size. When diamonds are mined, large gems are discovered much less frequently than small ones, which make large diamonds much more valuable. In fact, diamond prices rise exponentially with carat weight.

Here are some helpful tips from Jive Jewelry for choosing a carat weight:

• If you have a set budget, explore all your options and you'll find that there is a wide range of diamond carat weights and qualities available in your price range.
• If you have already chosen a setting, make sure you choose a diamond to fit.

If you have any questions, please call us toll-free at 1.866.542.1750.

Bridal jewelry to help make your special day ... special

Bridal Jewelry - Wedding Jewelry - Bridesmaid Jewelry
Choosing bridal jewelry to accompany your wedding gown is almost as important as choosing the gown itself. We offer beautiful Swarovski crystal wedding jewelry and bridal accessories.

Whether shopping for the bride, or looking for bridesmaid jewelry, Jive Jewelry offers the pieces you are looking for. Click here to view Jive Jewelry's complete wedding jewelry line.

It's easy to say you offer the best, but much harder to back it up. The following reasons show why our Bridal jewelry is the right jewelry for you:

• Meticulously chosen Bridal Jewelry Sets
  Our online jewelry store makes your life easy. Our staff meticulously researched which products go together to help complete a gorgeous bridal ensemble. As you browse to each product's description, you will see the "You may also like" section. This section features products that match the piece you are currently viewing. Jive Jewelry knows you want to look your best on your special day, so we matched pieces to make your decisions that much easier.
• Says "I do" all over again
  Your wedding day is a day you will never forget. By accessorizing with Jive Jewelry's unique bridal jewelry sets, you can ensure you look beautiful in fashionable pieces that suit your style. We provide only the most fashionable diamonds, Swarovski crystal, gemstone, silver, and gold jewelry for your wedding day. Remember your special day every time you wear your wedding jewelry. It is like saying "I do" all over again.
• Compliments your wedding gown perfectly
  The jewelry that accompanies your wedding gown is as important as the gown itself. Jewelry adds color, style and elegance to your gown. Accessorize your special gown with the finest rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets. Our bridal jewelry helps you look and feel beautiful on the happiest day of your life. Leave your guests speechless and create pictures that last a lifetime by accessorizing with Jive Jewelry bridal jewelry.
• Unique Bridal Jewelry Gift Ideas
  Constantly searching for the perfect item can be a frustrating process. Navigating to countless Web sites or walking through malls is a serious time investment. Jive Jewelry believes that your investment should be the jewelry you buy, not the time needed to find it. Our unique collections are both affordable and fashionable and help you find the item you are looking for without having to spend time searching. Let our trained jewelry consultants look for you.
• Bridal Jewelry Experts, Advisors and Consultants
  Does buying your wedding day accessories stress you out? Picking out your wedding accessories should be a fun experience. Too often, wedding consultants pressure you with numbers, stock, and savings. They see a sale, and don't keep your best interest in mind. At Jive Jewelry, our money-back guarantee proves that we want you to find the piece that is right for you. Our quality trained staff will answer any question of your questions. You can easily email using our contact us form, call us toll-free at 1-866-542-1750. If you need immediate answers, contact us through our Jive Jewelry chat room. Our chat room lets you get answers as quick as you can type the question!
• The benefits?
  Jive Jewelry's online store features a huge selection of bridal jewelry to ensure you find a piece that suits you perfectly. Our collections include the highest quality of Swarovski crystal, diamonds, sterling silver, gold, and platinum. Ranging from casual to elegant, we have the jewelry to accessorize your wedding gown, whether it is an intimate wedding on a beach, or a traditional church ceremony. The customer testimonials are overwhelming. Jive Jewelry takes your feedback seriously. Please send us comments or suggestions on our collections. Customer satisfaction is our number one goal!
  
  Jive Jewelry offers quality pieces in a variety of price ranges, and constantly puts items on sale to reward shoppers. By checking Jive Jewelry's online store regularly, you can find beautiful pieces at amazing prices. No matter what your budget, Jive Jewelry can help you find the bridal jewelry you want.
  
  Every piece of Jive Jewelry is handcrafted by our designers, and inspected to ensure the highest quality. If any piece of jewelry we receive does not measure to our high standards, it is not sold at Jive Jewelry. We're so confident in the quality of our products that we guarantee your 100% satisfaction. If you are not completely happy with your purchase, feel free to return it to us within 30 days of placing your order for an exchange or a full refund. Rest assured that any piece of jewelry you order from us will meet all your expectations and more.
• Help your bridesmaids look great with our bridesmaid jewelry
  Have you ever been a bridesmaid? When you walk into the dress store you pray the dress is one you like and then scramble to find some jewelry to match. Give your bridesmaids something they will love from our bridsemaid jewelry collections. By giving bridesmaid wedding jewelry, you guarantee the people you want standing beside you on your big day look great, and know how much they mean to you.