The true test to evaluate a diamond is to visually compare it next to other diamonds. At the end of the day all the numbers, certificates and photos in the world mean nothing if you do not like the look of the diamond and it does not sparkle.

You may have heard of terms like Excellent Cut, Ideal Cut, Russian Make, Hearts and Arrows, Belgium Cut, Fine Make and others used by jewellers and diamond retailers when selling their diamonds in order to give the illusion of a ‘better’ quality diamond than other diamonds. Be wary of accepting these terms as is. They are especially dangerous when assigned to diamonds by the jeweler or diamond dealer themselves without third-party independent support such as a diamond certificate or diamond grading report.

It is important to remain aware of the facts and differences with certification and the process, as well as the different grading standards each diamond grading laboratory offers. While it might be possible to find certified diamonds with the same grade stated on a certificate that appears notably cheaper. As a potential diamond buyer you must be aware that there is no single set of parameters diamond laboratories grade to and every laboratory has a different set of standards. There is no such thing as cheap diamonds, if a diamond is advertised at a special price or seems to have a special price you should ask yourself why? There are no bargains in the diamond industry and there usually is a reason why one diamond is discounted or appears to be cheaper than another diamond.

Not all diamond grading laboratories are as well respected or as stringent in their grading as each other. The diamond certification laboratory or grading laboratory should be accredited, complaint and totally independent of the diamond dealer, jeweler or diamond retailer so that there is no conflict of interest or financial bias. A diamond certificate must be issued from an independent, accredited laboratory and it must accurately state the full details of the diamond if it is to be of assistance for the diamond purchaser. You should always make certain that you check the credentials of the diamond grading laboratory who issued the diamond grading report or diamond certificate. If you have not heard of the laboratory, it could very well be associated in some way with the store, jeweler or diamond wholesaler itself, and so have a vested interest in aiding the sale.

It can be a very daunting, often stressful and a long involved process when you are trying to choose the perfect diamond especially when it is for a diamond engagement ring. Just comparing diamonds on a diamond price match policy alone is not nearly good enough you have to visibly compare the diamonds next to each other to truly see which diamond is the better quality diamond.

Diamonds are big business across the globe and Australia in particular has a huge diamonds industry operated by dependable traders who are part of the Diamond Dealers Club of Australia. Not everyone who deals in diamonds is a member of the Diamond Dealers Club. There is a strict screening of applicants to the club to make sure that they are dependable, ethical, and financially secure. This means that only the leading diamond dealers and merchants qualify for membership.

Diamonds, they say, are a girl’s best friend, hardly surprising when you consider the amount of work that goes into mining them, and how much these diamonds are worth on the open market. However, it has not always been a simple matter to find a diamond engagement ring in a style that you want but, it is possible to buy a loose certified diamond and then have it set in a custom designed engagement ring for that special person.

Diamond Imports are a renowned founding member of the Diamond Dealers Club of Australia and are well known for their expertise in the jewellery industry and for the quality of their diamonds. As one of Australia’s foremost dealers in diamonds the company is noted for the cut and quality of their diamonds - more importantly Diamond Imports make it their business to ensure that their clients have the knowledge to make an informed decision when choosing diamonds.

It is a simple matter to have a beautiful diamond that you want made up in a ring design of your choice because Diamond Imports sells certified loose diamonds and also have their own team of master jewelers. The company only deals in quality diamonds which are independently guaranteed and certified by compliant, internationally recognized diamond grading laboratories. In the Australian diamond business the name Diamond Imports is associated with the best quality and finest cut diamonds.

Diamond Imports will provide knowledge and education about their quality stones for customers looking to buy diamonds. They deal in loose diamonds, certified diamonds, wholesale diamonds as well as custom made diamond engagement rings, wedding rings and other jewellery.

When you have your loose diamond made into the ring of your choice by a reputable dealer such as Diamond Imports you won’t have to just settle for a ready made ring or deal with a harried shop assistant who may not always be able to tell you very much about the diamond - when you buy your diamond from Diamond Imports you can rest assured that they will provide you with all the information you require concerning your diamond as well as a stunning hand made engagement ring.

Buying a diamond that is going to be made into an engagement ring is something that, hopefully, you only do once, so you want the best quality diamond you can afford. The cut of a diamond is extremely important and it is what gives a diamond its sparkle, fire and brilliance. The most popular cuts for engagement rings are round brilliant cut and princess cut diamonds. There are other fancy shape diamonds which are unique and very beautiful, these include the pear and oval cut, asscher and cushion cuts as well as radiant, trilliant, marquise and emerald cut diamonds.

The price of the loose diamond that you buy is determined by its clarity, cut, carat weight and color as well as the shape of the stone. When you buy loose diamonds that have been independently certified you can be assured of the quality and you don’t have to depend on the pre-set designs on offer in most jewellery stores. Even those jewelers that carry loose stones have only a very limited number to choose from, which means you are restricted to the carat weight, color and cut that they have on offer. When you buy a diamond from a reputable diamond dealer like Diamond Imports you can be sure of the highest quality and a good selection of certified diamonds which you are able to compare and view before buying, which means that you always have a reliable investment and you buy diamonds with confidence.

” According to a recent DeBeers study, four out of five brides receive diamond engagement rings.

National Jeweler’s 2003 survey found that more than 40 percent of customers planned on buying a diamond one carat or larger.

And the 2002 American Wedding Study (sponsored by Condé Nast) revealed that the average engagement ring costs $3,576: more than 16 percent of the average wedding budget. “ Source

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I found this interesting when comparing America versus Australia.

If more than 40% of Americans are spending an average of USD$3576 approx AUD$4000 GST inclusive and plan on buying a diamond one carat or larger this indicates to me that Australians in general have a much higher standard.

A one carat diamond in any shape for USD$3576 we avoid stocking.

It would be a low quality diamond. A chain store special, colour L to P and Si2 to P2.

Factor in the cost of the ring and you would be buying a below average one carat product. For USD$3576 you could however acquire a high quality 0.40 to 0.60 ct diamond.

Remember round brilliant diamonds tend to be 15% to 20 % higher in price than a similar weight non round fancy shape. In fact you simply get more diamond for your money in a fancy shape which lends to a more unique enagement ring.

Fortunately we have clients who have spent time on researching prior to purchase and wish to spend more. It is difficult for us to ascertain an average price because we have so many different types of clients but between AUD$7000 to AUD$20,000 is not unusual.

This does not mean those who purchase between AUD$3000 to AUD$6,000 are sacrificing quality. You can still purchase high quality diamonds at these prices just not one carat diamonds.

Hooooroooo from De Guru

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Diamond Imports

Diamond Engagement Rings

“It is better to be envied than to be pitied.”

-Herodotus

While it’s not unusual to see Paris Hilton out working the party circuit, rarely do we see her so dolled up.

The occasion?

She is promoting her new movie called The Hottie and the Nottie. Paris is determined to make a name for herself in legitimate films, though it doesn’t seem like this story line is much of a stretch. In the film, Paris plays a ‘gorgeous girl’ who has vowed not to date until her unattractive best friend (Christine Lakin) also finds a man.

That would make Paris the hottie, of course.

[ Diamond Guru: Very admirable but the Guru still thinks Paris' first home movie was her best Hubba Hubba ]

Pictured here, Paris is attending the films after party, following the Hollywood premiere.

Since a hottie would not dare show up to two events in the same evening in the SAME ensemble, Paris managed to change her clothes somewhere between the theatre and the party.

Here at the party, Paris appears to be channeling her inner Marilyn Monroe in a pink Dolce & Gabba evening gown.

She is also wearing some substantial diamond jewelry.

In this case, it would seem that diamonds are a Hilton girl’s best friend!

While it’s unknown whose elaborate sparkling jewels she is wearing, Paris Hilton does appear to be wearing a timepiece from her own collection.

The Paris Hilton Limited Edition Watch collection feature approximately 1000 diamonds or roughly 9 carats, have five time zones and are set in 18k white gold. You can chose from intense pink, yellow or white diamonds faces.

Paris appears to be wearing a white diamond face, on a white diamond bracelet. With a starting price of $100,000 for a timepiece on a leather strap, we hope her fans have a big budget.

Source: Vialuxe

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What is white gold?
White gold is an alloy that comprises of Fine Gold with other precious and base metals. As Fine Gold is a yellow metal, other alloys must be added to ‘bleach’ the metal to a relatively white or steelish colour. Palladium, Silver, Platinum and Nickel are the most commonly used metals added to Fine Gold to in order to produce white gold. By adding these alloys to Fine Gold the resulting alloy reflects more white light than yellow light.

As Nickel can sometimes cause an allergic reaction in people with sensitive skin, it is not recommended as a whitening agent in white gold jewellery. For this reason at Diamond Imports white gold jewellery products are produced using Palladium as the major bleaching agent.

The colour of white gold can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer due to a wide variety of white gold alloys. To keep the white colour consistent and bright, white gold jewellery is mostly rhodium plated. However, current international trends suggest that colour variations in white gold may be acceptable even desirable for some jewellery products. It is up to the individual manufacturer to consider the design objectives and the needs of the customer when making the decision to rhodium plate or maintain the natural state of the alloy.

What is rhodium plating?
Rhodium is an elemental metal, from the Platinum group of metals. It is a non-tarnishing metal, which is very white and hard. Rhodium plating is used to give a consistent and bright white colour to white gold jewellery. Rhodium plating may also be used on yellow or pink gold products to colour a specific area of product white.

Maintenance of white gold jewellery?
White gold jewellery may be cared for in the same way as yellow gold.
As most white gold products have been rhodium plated, it is important to note that rhodium plating is not a permanent plating, it will fade or wear over time. As it wears, the original colour of the metal beneath will show through. The length of time rhodium plating will last on a piece of jewellery depends on the individual wearer. Some people may find that the plating wears quite rapidly, while others will find that the colour lasts for a long period. In order to maintain the bright white colour, jewellery may be re-rhodium plated by a jeweller, as often as desired.

What kind of jewellery is white gold suitable for?
White gold is currently being used to produce all kinds of jewellery, including rings, chains, bracelets and earrings. Primarily white gold is used to compliment gemstones in a setting, particularly diamonds. Light reflected through the pavilion of a diamond set in white gold enhances the stone’s brilliance. Also, setting diamonds in white gold makes the setting area more a design feature.

What is the difference between white gold and platinum?
Platinum is a naturally occurring white metal whereas white gold is created by combining fine gold (which is yellow in colour) with other alloys to bleach the colour to white. As platinum is pure, it will maintain it’s naturally bright white colour, and does not need to be rhodium plated.
Platinum jewellery contains more fine metal than carat gold jewellery. Most platinum jewellery is 85%, 90%, 95% or 96% pure, (Diamond Imports platinum products are 95% or 96%) compared to 18-carat gold jewellery, which is 75% pure.

The purity of platinum makes it hypo-allergenic and tarnish resistant.

Platinum is even more rare than gold. In fact, 50 tons of ore is required to produce just 50 grams of platinum. Platinum is a greyish-white metal that is malleable yet, like gold, is resistant to attack by air, moisture, and most solutions. Its melting point is even higher than gold, at just over 3,000°F. It ranks 72 in abundance among the elements.
Platinum is generally alloyed with gold when used in jewellery.

Platinum is one of the heaviest and strongest metals in the world. Weighing 60% more than carat gold, platinum is extremely dense, and also very durable, making it ideal for jewellery that is to be worn everyday.

What to Spend on a Diamond?

Guys who are ready to ask for a woman’s hand in marriage will inevitably attempt to figure out how much money they should spend on a diamond engagement ring, what the diamond will cost them and whether they will be able to afford a diamond engagement ring for their fiance.

Diamond Imports

Buy Diamonds at Wholesale Prices

Diamond anniversary rings and diamond eternity rings are set with diamonds that encircle all or a large portion of the circumference of the ring. The anniversary or eternity ring is designed so it compliments the engagement and wedding ring to create a trilogy set of rings.

Diamonds - Diamond Imports