Chapter 2 - Diamond Education Made Easy (The Finale: Easy Step-by-Step Guide on How to Choose Your Diamond)

You've reached the final installment to the Diamond Education Made Easy:

The Step-by-Step Guide on How to Choose the Best Diamond (Consumers Edition)

By now, you should have a good idea about the various tools that we could use to analyze a diamond: 4Cs, HCA score, ASET, Idealscope, etc. To refresh your memory, you could check out the previous parts of Chapter 2, where the above mentioned were discussed in detailed:

Chapter 2: Diamond Education Made Easy (Part 1 - Analyzing the 4Cs)

Chapter 2: Diamond Education Made Easy (Part 2 - Diamond Grading System)
Chapter 2: Diamond Education Made Easy (Part 3 - Diamond Structure and HCA Score Calculator)
Chapter 2: Diamond Education Made Easy (Part 4 - The Significance of Hearts & Arrows)
Chapter 2: Diamond Education Made Easy (Part 5 - Evaluating Light Performance Using Idealscope/ASET Images)

In this chapter, we're going to put them together, as a simple 5-step guide on how to choose the best diamond with the information that is typically available to us (in retail stores in Malaysia).

How to Choose a High Performing Diamond in 5 Simple Steps:

Step 1: Analyzing your budget

As with all financial consultants, never spend more than you can afford. So budgeting MUST be your first step. You'll need to know how much you can afford to spend on a ring without getting too much into debt. You can either budget in for the diamond and setting (Setting means the ring without the diamond, so it's a plain round metal piece before your diamond sits on it), or budget for the entire diamond ring (diamond + Setting).

From my research, here are some pricing that I'd seen at the retail stores at Oct/Nov 2017. The pricing is usually for an entire ring, free cleaning and polishing, with 1 time free resizing. 

(The price and diamond specs is based on what I do remember back then. It may differ by a couple of hundreds. But typically, the price is around the RM5000 region.To get the updated price list, please check from the stores) 

Goldheart	0.30 carat, F, VVS2, 3EX	GIA	RM6400
Wah Chan	0.40 carat, H, SI2, 3EX	GIA	RM5400
Poh Kong (Hemera)	0.30 carat onwards	In house/IGI	RM6000 onwards

If we're looking at loose diamonds (Excluding setting), here's the rough price list:

Eumayco	0.37 carat, E, VS1, 3EX	GIA	RM4700
Audreys	0.50 carat, D, VS1, 3EX	GIA	RM8600
Bludiamond	0.40 carat, F, VS2, 3EX	GIA	RM5800
Tailored Jewel	0.38 carat, G, VS2, 3EX	GIA	RM4100

The price above excludes the price of the setting. The setting typically ranges between RM800 for a simple solitaire ring, to RM1500 for the more complex ones.

iDO

0.36 carat, G, VS2, 3EX

GIA

RM6600

The price typically jumps every single time you reach a new 'milestone'. Which means at every 0.X0 would be a significant increase in the amount. Even more so, when you reach the significant increment: such as 0.50, 1.00 carats, etc. The jump could be in thousands! Let's take a look at the pricing as assumed from Audreys diamond website.

For a F, VS1, 3EX diamond:

0.30	RM3200
0.35	RM4000
0.40	RM5500
0.45	RM6200
0.50	RM8100

The following summarizes typically the carat size (entire diamond ring (diamond + setting)) that you could be looking at within a range of budget:

< RM 5000	< 0.35 carat
RM5000 – 6000	0.35 – 0.40 carat
RM6000 – 7000	0.40 – 0.45 carat
RM7000 –  10,000	0.45 – 0.50 carat
RM10,000 – 15,000	0.50 – 0.75 carat
RM15,000 – 40,000	0.75 – 1.00 carat
> RM40,000	> 1 carat and above

Once you have a budget, and a rough idea of the carats size as a bench mark in mind, then it is time to determine the 4Cs.

Step 2: Determine the 4Cs and diamond certifier that matters to YOU
Once you have a budget and a rough idea of the carats that you want, now it's time to determine what are the 4Cs and the diamond certifier that you are comfortable with. Chances are that you'll have a budget to be mindful of, and we could not get the best specifications of all 4 'C' categories within the budget. So now at this point, you need to ask yourself, what is important. Is it the Carat, Colour, Clarity or Cut?

Typically, you'll need to sacrifice some characteristics in pursue of the one that's important.

Example 1: you really want a diamond with a fantastic colour: D perhaps for sentimental or personal reasons. And you will not compromise on this. So, compromise on others factors so it'll fit your budget. Maybe take a diamond with a lower Clarity specs (VS2, SI1, etc), or smaller Carat.

Example 2: Classic example, perhaps you want to have the biggest diamond that your budget can afford. And there's no shame in that. Why would you spend so much on a diamond that is so small that you need a microscope to see? To have a larger carat, then reduce the Clarity, and the Colour on the grading scale.

Now notice that I did not touch on one characteristic, which is the Cut. I have emphasized it back then, and I will emphasize it now. Never ever compromise on the cut, and take anything less than Excellent. It will definitely affect the performance of the diamond. What is the use of having such a big rock with no personality? It's still not going to give the WOW factor that it deserves.

So take a step back, and truly analyze what is important to you. Is it the colour? Is it clarity? Or is it the carat? Remember, there are no right or wrong in choosing the specifications, it is what you want, and what is important to you.

If it helps, here is the guide for the rank of importance (to me):

CUT > CARAT > COLOUR > CLARITY

In terms of the diamond certifiers, pick either GIA or AGS for a peace of mind. At least this your ensure that your diamond is well certified against the stringent standards.

Step 3: Start surveying the diamond market
Armed with your wealth of information, it is now time to enter the jungle world of diamonds. And pick the ones that you like the best! This by far is my favourite part! Go and explore all jewelers, mainstream retail stores like Poh Kong, Diamond & Platinum, Wah Chan, etc, or look into online stores like Zcova, Frou Frou, Tailored Jewel, Eumayco, etc.

Take your time to survey. Grab as many GIA/AGS certificate numbers as possible. Jot down every single information that they gave you, including the price, diamond specs and diamond setting. Here are some GIA and AGS sample certs, inclusive detailed information of what you need to take note on.

Sample AGS diamond certificate

Sample GIA diamond certificate

The above diamond information could be easily obtained from the certificate. You only need to take down the certificate number cause you could access all the information from the online certificate /report check website as linked here: GIA and AGS.

You'll also need to take into consideration the following:

• How long is it will they take to complete the ring (order lead time).
• What is their after sales service:
• How many times do they give free resizing
• What is the time frame for resizing,
• Any warranty given
• Cleaning and polishing 

From my experience, you may be hit by this sales pitch from the consultants: You are entitled to purchase the diamond at this very special price: RMXXXX which is additional 20% discount that is valid today only. But because you're such a good customer, we will extend this sale until this weekend just for you. If not, it'll go back to the original price.

I'll tell you now, this is just their sales tactic to pressure you to purchase the diamond. And there is no need to fall for this sales pitch (unless you really really like their diamond, and unless you think you'll be getting a fantastic deal), because we have much more analysis to do!

Step 4: Weed out the bad proportion diamonds using HCA Score

If you're at this step, congratulations! You've completed the hardest part which is to finalize the 4Cs within your budget (well, it was my biggest headache). 

This is the point, where we can part ways and where you can purchase your diamond..

OR

This is the point where you can spend a little bit more time to ensure that you can get the best diamond that your money can buy.

Once you'd narrowed down the few diamonds that you like, list down all the diamond certificates. Then, you can now just plop the values required in the HCA score calculator, and check the score. If the HCA score is above 2.0, reject the stone immediately, and return to Step 3. If it is below, good job! Proceed to the next step!

Now, that was really simple ain't it.

Step 5: Go advanced with H&A and Idealscope/ASET images

At this point, you should have a pretty good diamond with your desired 4Cs, within budget and a well structured diamond. Here is when it gets tricky and complicated. In Malaysia and from my experience, it is not easy to get my hands on the H&A, Idealscope or ASET images for diamonds below 0.5 carat. Even more so, when you're looking to get your ring from the jewelry retails stores. 

I personally have tried many online stores as well, with negative feedback. So I, myself have not even seen a proper H&A, Idealscope or ASET images. However I'd only been requesting diamonds < 0.5 carat, so perhaps for diamonds > 0.5 carat, you may have better luck.

The best compromise that you can do is that you can only view the H&A images through a scope at the store. However, there may be a lot of error through this, as any slight tilt in your head's position would cause the image to be distorted. Plus with the piercing gaze from the sales consultant looking at you looking at the diamond, you'll probably feel very pressured on how to scrutinize it. So unless you have a very steady head, or you know what to look out for, it is very difficult to analyze it this way. You must also take note that the H&A image viewed through the scope is very small (usually 10x magnification only). That being said, it is probably good enough for you to catch the very major flaws, such as this diamond with a HCA score of 2.4 that I'd seen:

Arrows look decent, but the point is slightly skewed to the left (probably due to the not-so-ideal proportion of the diamond).

But what is happening to the hearts??

So even with the scope, it should be decent enough for you to find the major flaws. But if you're really a perfectionist, then I would suggest you find the actual H&A image to analyze.

If the vendors that you're looking at,can provide the H&A, Idealscope or ASET image; go, request  and take your time to analyze from them. In a nutshell:

• H&A Image: Clear crisp arrow and hearts, with no wonky, misshapen or missing parts
• Idealscope and ASET image: The redder it is, the better.

Then here comes the big question: What happens if the diamond that you'd chosen fits Step 1-4, but fails in Step 5? Or if you could not get hold off the diamond images? Now, it all boils down to you. 

• Are you able to accept a a diamond that is not 100% as expected? 
• Are you able to tolerate some minor deviations? 
• Is the change so significant, until it is something that you as a consumer could not accept? 

These are the questions that you must ask yourself. Because quite honestly, this characteristic is not something that you could appreciate visually and differentiate with your eyes alone, as we are not professional gemologists and we can't see such minute differences. Chances are, that if you screen through your diamond from Step 1-4, you'll have a pretty good performing diamond, much better than when you just purchase by picking through 4Cs alone. 

Don't get me wrong:

Are H&A, Idealscope and ASET images important to determine the optical performance?
Yes, very. In fact, there are many published articles online with regards to the importance of these images. 

Are they necessary, until you could not purchase a diamond without them?
Now, this is very subjective. Because you see, these images are so difficult to find in Malaysian stores unless you purchase them from overseas diamond wholesalers such as Whiteflash, Brian Gavin, etc.

Chapter 2 Summary

What I believe is important, is that you are confident and happy with your purchase. This would most likely be your first big purchase, amounting to thousands of dollars. Not exactly a small sum for such a small rock. So you'll definitely want to invest in a diamond that performs the best under the limitations that we have, and that you or your partner would love it (hopefully) for the rest of her life. 

This, to me is the most important point of all. It does not matter that the diamond does not fit the norm of what society expects it to be. What is important is that both you and your partner loves the diamond, and enjoys the process of hunting for one. I certainly did, and I absolutely love my diamond ring after one month of diamond hunt (more pictures of my ring to come!).

So with this, I can close Chapter 2, and I hope that this step by step guide is an informative article on how to choose a diamond ring. If you do have any questions, please drop your comments below, and I will answer them (with respect to consumer POV) as soon as I can! 

~I wish you all the best in your diamond ring hunt! <3~