This year for my wife’s birthday, she dropped a few hints that she was in the market for some fine jewelry. I had a few things to learn about fine jewelry if I was to fulfill this request, and seeing as how she picked out her wedding and engagement rings herself, I was still quite a beginner in this arena. I went to a Fine Jewelery store to browse around and look at my options, and there was quite an overwhelming array of selections in the store.
Pearls, bangles, charms, broaches, bracelets, necklaces, engagement ring settings —it seemed intimidating to be confronted with so much fine jewelry at once, so I decided to go with a safe choice: a nice set of diamond stud earrings. Her engagement ring was already a full carat, so I knew that a set of earrings couldn’t dwarf the main piece, so I looked for a set between half a carat and three quarters, ideal cut.
Making the Grade
I know a little bit about diamond grading, and I’ve always heard that colors range from D (clear) to Z (yellow), and that clarity ranges from F or IF (flawless) to I-3 (noticeable artifacts), but for the first time I got to see these grades first-hand. I had always wondered why two very similar-appearing diamonds could have such dramatic fluctuations in price, but the clerk at this fine jewelry store was quick to educate me by handing me his loupe and showing me several pieces side-by-side.
It was eye-opening to see first-hand the little details that you never quite notice when you’re looking at a diamond from a distance, the “inclusions” appearing as tiny bubbles inside the diamond, and the color difference between a D or E and a G or H. It seems fairly petty to outsiders like me, but you really come to realize when looking at a piece of fine jewelry that it’s the difference between a little or a lot of sparkle, even when you’re not scrutinizing the piece under a powerful lens.
There really is an art to all of this, and jewelers are not to be underestimated in their skill and ability to craft well-cut diamonds that highlight the most of what a previously dirty, rough chunk of carbon has to offer.
