Written by Cynthia Findlay Antiques.

Understanding how diamonds are evaluated is critical to getting the best value on engagement rings. It doesn’t matter if you are getting a custom piece of jewellery made or if you are planning on purchasing estate jewellery – it’s critical to know how diamond rings are appraised in order to feel comfortable with a purchase.

The good news is that the quality of a diamond comes down to the same four basic concepts whether they are used to evaluate new rings or antique engagement rings. Take a look at the four “Cs” that are used in the diamond ring evaluation process:

Color: A truly perfect diamond would be completely colorless in the same way that water or glass doesn’t have a color. However, most diamonds will have at least some small amount of tint, often seen as a yellowish hue. A diamond’s color rating refers to how close it is to colorless.

Clarity: All diamonds will have some blemishes or imperfections – this is a natural part of the process of tremendous heat and pressure that is put on carbon when it is formed into a diamond. The clarity of a diamond reflects how many – or few – blemishes are in a diamond and if their presence or size will impact the look of the gem.

Cut: While different styles of diamonds require different cuts, this factor measures how well the diamond is cut to showcase the natural sparkle of light reflected through a diamond. The cut is truly the mark of the quality of the jeweller.

Carat Weight: When it comes to diamonds, bigger usually is better. The carat weight of a diamond is a measurement of its size. For example, a round cut diamond weighing 1.03 carats would have approximate measurements of  (L/W/D) of 6.53 x 6.56 x 3.94 millimeters.

Countless customers in the Toronto area have purchased vintage engagement rings from Cynthia Findlay Antiques. Their collection encompasses all styles and types of antique jewellery.