Choose A Diamond
Newcastle Herald
Saturday December 2, 2006
Buying a diamond ring is the most nerve-wracking purchase a man can make . . . worse, even, than lingerie and perfume. Jewellery stores are like foreign countries the language and prices make absolutely no sense.
Not so many years ago, the rule of thumb for pricing an engagement ring was a month's salary. Now it's two months, apparently. Steve from Leonards Jewellers in Newcastle reckons guys rarely spend quite that much. For a hand-made, one-off design you can expect to pay $2500 to $5000, while good commercial rings cost $1500+.If the ring is a surprise there are a couple of sly ways to determine the correct size. Or you can simply present a loose diamond then go back and work out a design.With the diamond itself, size is obviously important but there's more to consider. Jewellers, like Angus & Coote, talk of the 4 Cs . . . Carat, Clarity, Colour and Cut.Carat refers to weight (1 carat equals 1/5th of a gram).Most diamonds have flaws such as minerals or fractures. The greater the clarity, the higher the value.Choice of colour comes down to personal taste. Yellow and brown tones are the most common but colourless diamonds are the most valuable.Cut is where the craftsman comes in, aiming to maximise sparkle by getting light to reflect from one facet to another. The traditional diamond shape is "round brilliant" for these reflect nearly all the light that enters.
© 2006 Newcastle Herald