What Factors Affect the Value of Diamonds Used in Wedding Rings?

A number of factors directly affect whether diamonds are used in wedding rings, necklaces, or other jewellery giftware, including how clear the stone is, how large it is, its reflectiveness and also whether it has flawless surfaces and is void of blemishes. These qualities if you like give the stones individual value and determine what types of fine jewellery products they end up in. For more detailed explanations of these factors, see below.

Diamond Colour

Diamond colour refers to how little colour or imperfection it has, so if the stone is clearer in translucency it allows more light to pass through and the more it glimmers. It is this quality which directly affects the price it fetches after being mined, washed and finished, the whiter or clearer it is, the higher its resale value.

On a technical note, in the industry, diamonds are rated in a scale from 'D' to 'X', with D meaning a stone virtually colourless and a X would typically have a slight yellow tinge to its clarity. In existence today there are very few diamonds which have been classified as being absolutely colourless. Larger diamond finds are usually made into highly priced ornaments purchased by the rich and wealthy however the vast majority which are mined today are made into diamond wedding rings.

Diamond Carat

The carat of diamond refers to its size at the time of it being mined with 1 carat referring to 0.2 grams and the largest recorded diamond weighting in at 203 carats, so you can imagine the size and value of that once it's been polished and finished.

The term 'carat' was taken from the name of the seeds of the carob plant which in ancient history were used to balance scales on markets to make trades. Carat should not be confused with the term used to identify how pure gold is which is spelt with a 'K', karat.

The types of diamonds which are used in wedding rings and other fine jewellery are considered rare stones, as the natural processes involved in the creation of them is a rare occurrence in nature. The minerals required are rarely found in large quantities in the same location and mining rarely finds large specimens, so larger ones tend to have higher value.

Diamond Cut

You may be forgiven for thinking that a diamond cut is the way in which it was cut from the surrounding rock within a mine or indeed the way it was cut into a desirable shape for use in diamond wedding rings, but in actual fact it describes how reflective it is. The grading process involved with rating a diamond's cut has 6 ratings, which are as follows:

Ideal

Premium

Very Good

Good

Fair

Poor

A diamond with deep cuts is considered less valuable for use in rings, necklaces and other fine jewellery as light reflects less as more of it passes through the stone. More valuable cuts are those which allow light to enter the diamond but also to reflect as much as possible back out again. The cut of a diamond is considered one of the most important factors in determining its commercial value.

Diamond Clarity

A diamond's clarity refers to how smooth its surfaces are, i.e. how rough areas or scratches it has which may affect its reflectiveness and essentially its appeal in terms of resale value in a commercial setting. This is not to say that diamonds with faces which are not totally smooth are not made into diamond wedding rings. In fact a jeweller will tend to point out to you when you are purchasing a ring, just how good the clarity is, pointing out flaws on the stone's surface.

Flaws inside the diamond such as air bubbles or other foreign minerals are known as 'inclusions' as they are imperfections inside. The rating system for diamond clarity ranges from a stone with no flaws at all down to lower value specimens with several flaws visible without the use of a magnifying glass.

Diamond Shape

The shape of diamonds used in fine jewellery such as wedding rings and gold bracelets is determined by the jeweller who cuts according to either market trends or to personal selection. The shapes available are numerous however there are 4 main types which include the following:

Brilliant or step cut -

Round or oval

Princess or emerald cut

Marquise or radiant cut

Pear or heart cut

The choice is yours which shape you have cut for your diamond wedding ring but with some many options available you should find one which suits your tastes.

Diamond Setting

The way a diamond wedding ring is set is important as it affects the way the stone is presented on the finger, the common setting is known as a 'prong' setting because it holds the diamond in place by means of a number of prongs to make the whole stone stand out.

A 'bezel' setting features a piece of metal which wraps around the diamond, holding it in place. A 'channel' setting would typically feature a pair if metal fittings holding in place a number of round diamonds. The metal fittings or prongs are commonly made from gold, platinum or titanium.

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