Jewelry Store Tips – Why To Buy Your Diamond Engagement Ring From A Trusted Jeweler
Jewelry stores can be a tricky place if you don’t know what to look for. If you are in the market for a diamond engagement ring or diamond jewelry in general there are a couple things to keep in mind before you buy. Diamonds can be treated to hide flaws and unnaturally increase their value. Some of these techniques are not wrong; however, they all must be disclosed to the buyer. Ensure that you buy from a trusted jewelry so you know exactly what you are buying.
As long as people have been buying and selling diamonds, sellers have always found ways to increase the diamonds clarity and color through artificial methods. This can lead to a higher price on the diamond if one does not know what to look for. These alterations make purchasing a quality diamond much more difficult.
The oldest method to increase a diamond’s color rating is to coat it. Although, this is not used as commonly today, the process involves an ultra-thin layer of chemicals applied to the diamond to make the diamond appear less colorful. It is rather easy today to identify coated diamonds under magnification. Another method is to use irradiation to permanently change the color of a diamond throughout the stone. A third way to change the color is to use High Pressure, High Temperature, or HPHT treatment. This treatment can make the diamond colorless or add attractive colors like blue, green, pink, or yellow.
There are also techniques for improving a diamond’s clarity. Laser drilling is used to eliminate dark inclusions. The laser will bore into the diamond and burn away the inclusion. All that is left is the small drill hole. Another technique is fracture filling. This hides white areas, referred to as feathers. A glass like substance is then inserted into the fracture. Both of these techniques are effective in improving a diamond’s clarity; however, they are easily visible under magnification or with adequate lighting.