|
The purchase of a diamond is a seldom event for the majority people. For many who are about to be married it is a first-time, unique experience. They might have learnt from their dad all there is to know about the "birds and the bees"—but dad (and even grandpa) are generally (and equally...) at a loss with respect to diamonds!
Giving a diamond represents the celebration of a special occasion. And as special as the occasion may be so also is the diamond itself, and hence its selection to embody the event. This rarest and most precious of gems has come to symbolize the milestones of our lives.
It is fitting that the hardest and most brilliant of all of the world's gemstones should be the most enduring and symbolize endurance. These qualities have rendered the diamond a perfect symbol of engagement and love.
The more you know, the easier it will be to distinguish the ordinary from the exceptional when it comes to value for your money.
The qualities that make the diamond so special -- purity, brilliance and the effect of color-- have been translated, to an extent, into a grading system that corresponds to the rarity of occurrence of those aspects in the diamond and determines, therefore, the diamond's price.
But prior to reading any further or starting your shopping experience, you may wish to familiarize yourself with diamond terminology and with its morphology through the following diagram:
Diamond Terminology & Morphology
|
