The purchase of diamonds is a significant investment, so most people want to get it right the first time, while still staying within their budget. But if your approach to buying diamonds is merely asking about the price, then you are going about it wrong. Just as there are various factors to be considered when putting money into an expensive investment such as a house or a car, there are several characteristics to bear in mind before deciding on a diamond. And while most people know to ask about the number of carats, this feature is not the only consideration to have. The following article highlights the characteristics you should be aware of that influence the pricing of diamonds.

The clarity of the diamond

While diamonds are renowned for their brilliance, a majority of them naturally have inclusions. These inclusions are identifying markers that come about either due to the mineral content in the diamond or whether the diamond acquired some fractures. The inclusions can have different appearances and may look like feathers, crystals or even clouds inside the diamond. However, they are quite minuscule and can only be viewed via a magnifying loupe. The more inclusions a diamond has, the less its clarity and this will decrease its value. However, not all diamonds with flaws will have a low price. In some cases, the positioning of the inclusions can make it easy to camouflage once the diamond is mounted in the jewellery. Thus, although inclusions will be present, as long as the brilliance of the diamond is unaffected then the gemstone will still have a high price.

The colour of the diamond

Although most diamonds are clear, these gemstones are available in a broad spectrum of colours. Therefore, the colour of the diamond actually refers to how colourless the stone is. In general, diamond colouring is categorised into two main categories – the winter whites and the summer whites. As their name suggests, the winter white diamonds tend to have an icier aesthetic to them whereas the summer whites have a warm-coloured hue. Summer white diamonds are best set in matching metals such as yellow gold. Winter whites, on the other hand, pair spectacularly with platinum or white gold. While winter and summer white diamonds have relatively the same price range, diamonds that are entirely colourless are the most sought after. Therefore, the more colourless the diamond is, the higher the price tag.