When shopping for a diamond, one should remember the 4 C’s – cut, color, cost and clarity. The last factor, clarity, appears to be as simple as it implies. The clearness of the diamond imparts the quality and rarity of the piece, but did you know that jewelers and manufacturers often treat the diamond to enhance its clarity before it is shown to you? With the naked eye, such imperfections like blemishes, nicks and scratches cannot be determined. Ask to look at the diamond through a jeweler’s magnifying loupe or a simple articulating microscope, which a good and self-respecting jeweler should have on hand. The magnifications of the articulating microscope should reflect the diamond’s exterior surface, and any flaws can be seen, if there are any. If the diamond is yet to be unpolished, one can study the naturals, leftovers of the rough and uncut surface of the gemstone. Articulating microscopes are widely used in jewelry making, watch and circuit board repairs and even in the creation of dental braces. It allows for the maximum intensification and viewing of delicate gemstones. Any jeweler should respect the consumer’s need to inspect and scrutinize a potential buy, because the purchase of diamonds, whether in the form of engagement rings or other pieces of jewelry are investments.

Evidence of clarity enhancing treatments include laser drilling, which leaves behind trails on the surface of the diamond, when viewed sideways under an articulating microscope. A very small white dot can be seen trailing from the top of the gemstone. This simply means that the imperfections have been removed and the diamond has been previously treated. Another method, one that requires magnification of a jeweler’s loupe or an articulating microscope because it is invisible to the naked eye, is called fracture filling. Jewelers use this to fill in very minute cracks with a clear substance. Fracture filling, however, is temporary. Some repairs and cleaning can dislodge, erode or stain the filler. Also, there may appear to be flashes of color when the diamond is rotated. Trapped air bubbles from the filling may also be apparent. As advised by the Gemological Institute of America, the GIA, a fracture filled diamond is not the best buy, especially if it is for an engagement ring or a piece of jewelry that will be worn continuously, because the filling is not permanent.

It is essential to buy diamonds from a reputable dealer or jeweler, one that is honest about the enhancements that were done to treat the diamond. Remember that treatments appear to make the diamond better than it really is. There is nothing wrong with purchasing a treated or enhanced diamond, as long as you know what those treatments are and the price you pay for it is appropriate. But before anything else, make sure you are knowledgeable about you want and how much you are willing to pay for it. Diamonds deserve the time and the effort to be acquired. This is why a diamond so often signifies eternity. Shopping for a diamond is a lot like selecting a life-long partner