How to Examine a Diamond

To ensure that you are getting what you pay for, you must learn to examine a diamond yourself. Yes, you can use an appraiser. There will (or should) be a certificate for the diamond. You can use the rap sheet to get an idea of what a diamond is worth in today’s market – but unless you can examine a diamond yourself, you are opening yourself up to getting scammed.

Examining a diamond takes more than looking at it with the naked eye. You need a microscope or a loop/loupe. This allows you to see the inclusions for yourself. You could also use a 10x magnifying glass, which is more feasible when shopping. If you don’t have one, ask to borrow the jewelers. In most cases, this shouldn’t be a problem for them – and if it is, run for the door.

You can also use a diamond tester. These devices use light and will help you to verify that what you are looking at is indeed an actual diamond. It has nothing to do with the quality of the diamond however. It is just a verification that the stone is real. Diamond testers work on mounted and un-mounted diamonds.

Use the magnifying glass or microscope to look at the cut, clarity, and color of the diamond. You will need a scale to weight the diamond, remembering that five carats equals one gram.

When viewing the diamond, you are looking for blemishes on the outside and inside of the diamond. These blemishes will have a direct impact on the sparkle of the gem. View it from the top, the bottom, and all sides. When viewing from the side, you can expect the diamond to appear cloudy. This is a reflection of the girdle in the pavilion facets, and not a problem at all.

If the diamond is not mounted, don’t touch it. Pick it up for examination with tweezers. The oil from your hands will alter what you see. When picking it up with tweezers, grasp the diamond around the girdle (the rounded part or the thickest part of the diamond).

Ask the jeweler to walk you and the diamond outside, or view it near a window. You want to see it in sunlight if possible. Get away from the lighting in the jewelry store for the best assessment.

Take your time, and compare what you are seeing with the GIA report. It’s your money, and it will eventually be your diamond – so don’t let the jeweler rush you through your examination, and don’t feel that you need to carry on a conversation with the jeweler while you are trying to concentrate on what you are seeing.