The hunt for my proposal ring.

Back in 2005, much inspired by my friend's wedding. I am convinced to craft and execute my proposal in the coming months.

But first, the Ring. The diamond ring. With so many brands, adverts and fanciful gimmicks (i.e Brilliant cut, Radiant cut and what have you) I am totally clueless.

On the survey trip
I walked into one of those Jewellery shops and check out their flagship diamonds collection. They were dazzling, but its the price tag that was blinding and forbidding. And I soon realise. that the International Certified diamond with similar carat cost much cheaper. That every moment I realise that Diamond is indeed more than meets the eye.

Understanding Diamonds
In today's world anyone can be an expert in almost any subject with the vast amount of knowledge available on the internet. And I found this site. http://www.jewelbasket.com/aboutdiamonds.html

Just a brief summary for those guys out there shopping for a diamond ring.
1. The 4 Cs that matters, 1. Carat, Clarity, Cut and Colour.

Many experts name color as the number one consideration in choosing a diamond. A diamond's color is graded on an alphabetical scale from D-Z, with D being absolutely colorless and Z being light yellow. Beyond "Z", a diamond is considered to be an exotic or "Fancy" color.

And they offered a very helpful chart. (check link above)

Since color differences can be so subtle, they are impossible to determine by the untrained eye. To grade a diamond, gemologists often place it on a white background next to another diamond that has been previously graded.
If all other factors are equal, the less color in a diamond or the higher color rating, the more valuable a diamond becomes. Likewise, as the amount of color increases, the price of a diamond decreases (though this does not necessarily reduce the beauty of a diamond.)

Clarity
To view a diamond, experts use a 10x magnifying loupe which allows them to see the appearance of tiny crystals, feathers or clouds. These natural phenomena are called inclusions.There are five categories in class that anyone interested in purchasing a diamond should be aware of when grading clarity. ( Actually how often do you look at someone's diamond through a magifying glass? Its the size that matter! To me at least. And if they do, isnt it better? Hahaah)

DIAMOND CLARITY SCALE
FL
IF
VVS1
VVS2
VS1
VS2
SI1
SI2
I1
I2
I3
Flawless-Internally Flawless
Very Very Slightly Imperfect
Very Slightly Imperfect
Slightly Imperfect
Imperfect

FL (Flawless) - IF (Internally Flawless)Flawless Diamonds reveal no flaws on the surface or internally are the rarest and most beautiful gems.
Internally Flawless Diamonds reveal no inclusions and only insignificant blemishes on the surface under 10x magnification.
VVS1 - VVS2 (Very, Very Slightly Included)Very difficult to see inclusions under 10x magnification. These are excellent quality diamonds.
VS1 - VS2 (Very Slightly Included)Only looking through a 10X loupe can pinpoint the inclusions in this category and are nearly impossible to see with the naked eye. These are less expensive than the VVS1 or VVS2 grades.
SI1 - SI3 (Slightly Included)Diamonds with inclusions easily identified under 10x magnification. Finding flaws in this category with the naked eye is difficult. The gems in this category maintain their integrity, depending on the location of the inclusions.
I1 - I3 (Included)Diamonds with inclusions which may or may not be easily seen by the naked eye. The flaws on the stones in this category will have some effect on the brilliance of your diamond.

More on diamond on my next post.