Active Lifestyle
It is important to consider your lifestyle when selecting the
shape of the stone and the design of the ring. Be realistic about
the wear-and-tear your ring will take and realize that while
"diamonds are forever", no piece of jewellery is eternal.
Remember, even diamond, the hardest natural substance
known, can chip or break if exposed to a sharp accidental blow.
Active outdoors types, for example, might be better off avoiding
the marquise or pear shape. The shank as well as the claws of
a ring worn daily by a very active person will show the effects of
wear and any detailing on the ring will blur over time, as a result
of gardening, playing on the beach, mountain-climbing,
handling ski equipment or bicycles, etc.
Remember: sturdy and graceful are not mutually exclusive.
Rubover settings do not detract from a gemstone's brilliance,
yet they will afford you greater security.
In considering which metal is best, remember that colour is a
personal choice. Yellow gold is a nice bright rich colour, whilst
white gold is stronger than yellow in terms of endurance.
Platinum is expensive, but is also tougher than gold – rather
than abrading easily, platinum tends to roll over itself much like
a wax when you roll it between your fingers. This tends to make
a platinum setting more durable than a gold setting, but both
metals dent and scratch equally. |
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Diamond Buyers
Is the diamond glued to the setting? If a ring has a closed back,
it is probably not a diamond. Is newsprint readable or
observable through diamond? If so, it is not a diamond.
Count the facets visible on top. In cheaper glass imitations
there are usually nine visible top facets, as opposed to 33
visible top facets in a brilliant cut diamond or "good" simulation.
However, some small diamonds, such as those seen in side
stones in some rings, do show only nine facets on the top
(referred to as single cut in the trade rather than brilliant cut).
Examine the girdle of the stone. Most diamonds have a frosted appearance (unpolished and with a ground-glass like
appearance). Polished or faceted girdle diamonds will not have
this frostiness.
Check the symmetry of the cut. The symmetry of the faceting
on a diamond will be very carefully executed, whereas in
diamond simulations the symmetry of the facets will be sloppy.
Are the facet edges or facets scratched, chipped, or worn?
Diamond imitations include some stones that are very soft
and/or brittle, such as zircon and glass.
Examine the stone, loose or mounted, for fluorescence under
ultraviolet light. |
