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A Diamond Investors Primer: How to Make Sure Your Stones are Not for Throwing!

If you are thinking about buying diamonds, perhaps to have a special piece of jewelry made for a loved one, or maybe just as a form of alternative investment, you do need to do some ground work before you jump into the market.

Today it is easier than ever to get into the diamond market. The rather rarefied world of diamond trading has opened up, like so many other things, thanks to the development of the Internet. Nowadays it is as easy as a few minutes 'Googling' to discover a whole raft of contacts for buying diamonds, diamond jewelry and everything else associated with diamonds!

You can easily find websites that feature huge stocks of diamonds along with detailed descriptions of the stones you could buy. If you are a wary and wise novice diamond investor, a quick glance at these 'diamond dossiers' should convince you that you need to spend some time doing your homework before parting with your investment money.

For when it comes to buying diamonds you need to bear a few things in mind. To start with,these ancient gems were formed eons ago in the furnace like heat of volcanic activity and under the pressure of thousands of tons of earth. Diamonds are amazing and attractive – but their natural formation makes them incredibly variable. This makes a diamond mine more like a minefield than anything else for those new to dealing in the scintillating stones.

Some of the major, creditable gemological organizations, such as:

- The Gemological Institute of America - The International Gemological Laboratory - The American Gemological Society - The European Gemological Laboratory

- offer diamond assessment training opportunities for those who really want to learn all about gems and stones. Most people will probably not have time to undertake a fully fledged education in how to assess diamond quality themselves. However, if you are sensible, you will want to employ the assistance of someone who has completed the rigorous training of a qualified gemologist – especially if you are thinking of investing heavily in diamonds.

When you become familiar with diamond clarity grading terms alone you will soon realize that the difference between a 'Flawless' and 'Slightly Included (level 2)' diamond might mean many thousands of dollars difference in the value of a sizeable diamond. The physical differences between these two stones may, however, be barely perceptible to the untrained eye, even using a diamond dealers magnifying glass, or 'loupe' as it is called.

Similarly, unless you know what to look for you may be struggling to note the difference between a well-cut gem and a poorly cut one, given the size of the stones you may first consider buying! A well-cut gem may have its value enhanced by the master bench-jeweler's skills. But equally, if a gem has an 'off-centre table' or a slightly misaligned 'culet', or maybe even a 'wavy girdle', any of these faults could undermine an expected high valuation. So you do need to know what you are looking for, as well as at.

So far we haven't even mentioned the most obvious trait of a diamond, its color, which is also a critical factor in determining a diamonds market worth! If you thought it was just a matter of looking for a 'white diamond' think again – because things get much more complex than that!

You may already be aware that diamonds are measured in carat weights. This traditional measurement is fascinating, because unlike other commodities which are paid for per unit weight, the value per carat will vary immensely according to the size of diamond, when considered in light of the clarity, cut and color factors already mentioned.

So if you plan to invest in diamonds, remember, they may be "A girl's best friend" but you soon won't be your bank manager's friend if you fail to do your homework before you buy!

Discover more about the factors that influence the valuation of diamonds by visiting DiamondProfiteer.com where you will also find additional information about successfully buying loose diamonds and many other resources.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Al_G_Smith

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11.08.2006
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