how to:
select a diamond
Photo courtesy of Dance With Me
Bachelors, take note: What your girlfriend posts on social media may contain clues for finding the perfect engagement ring. “Lots of hints are being given with pictures and Instagram,” notes Jason Gerber, diamond manager at Devon Fine Jewelry in Wyckoff. “If a guy pays attention to what the girl really wants as far as style goes, he can’t go wrong.” Of course, your chances of getting a “yes” when you pop the question will be better if you’re a decent sort yourself. But it can’t hurt to have a ring that really rocks. Showy or simple? Unusual or traditional? Look for a diamond that “represents her personality,” Gerber counsels. Of the “four C’s” diamond purchasers are taught to consider—cut, carat, color and clarity—Gerber suggests concentrating on the first three. Cut can make the difference “between a diamond with incredible brilliance and one that is very dull,” he says. Your stone should reflect light “off the facets and come through the top. In a poorly cut one, the facets don’t line up and the light leaks out of the sides or bottom.” Carat is a measure of weight and is dependent on cut. A well-cut diamond distributes the weight evenly—once it’s set, it appears large for its weight. A colorless diamond is rarer in nature than near colorless or faint-color diamonds (yellowish or brown). “But that doesn’t mean a near colorless diamond is less beautiful,” Gerber says. “It’s just not as hard to find.” One way to save a few bucks, says our diamond expert, is not to stress over clarity—that is, freedom from any irregularities, called “inclusions” if they’re on the inside or “blemishes” on the outside. While these are measured to a very high level of magnification in the very finest-quality diamonds, Gerber usually advises clients to stay in what’s called the VS2–SI1 range. “There you won’t see any marking or black carbon with the naked eye,” he explains.
bergenmag.com
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september 2016
8/10/16 3:29 PM