Since the time of the ancient Egyptians and classical Greeks, the gemstones known as diamonds have been treasured by people from all over the world. The tradition continues as these stones are widely regarded as the most precious of investments.

Appraising one takes a keen eye and a fair degree of experience but there are some things a novice can appreciate about their value. Here are four of the most important factors that diamond appraisers looks for,  as delineated by the American Gem Society (AGS):

• Carats – While the most obvious quality of a diamond is its size – in actuality, its weight measured in carats – this factor is the one least important to appraisers. In fact, it is relatively easy to find a large diamond.  But, finding a large one of exceptional quality is far more difficult.

• Clarity – This most important natural factor refers to anything that detracts from the total transparency of the stone. It includes internal defects – known as inclusions – and external ones or blemishes. Diamonds, unlike other stones, are inspected under a 10X eyepiece and any that are free from defect are considered “flawless.” These diamonds are so rare that many jewelers have never even seen one.

• Cut – The physical cutting of a diamond is an extremely precise operation that takes an extraordinary amount of skill as well as years of experience to properly accomplish. Diamond cutters will sometimes take weeks to decide on the best way to cut a diamond. The word”cut” is actually a misnomer as a blade is used to strike a blow on the stone with another very sharp blade. The act is over in less than a second. One misstep and a highly valuable stone can be ruined.

• Color – Naturally occurring diamonds are found in countless colors across the entire spectrum of the rainbow, but the most in-demand have no color at all. These “colorless” diamonds are graded on an alphabetic scale from D (transparent) through Z (light-yellow) – the lower the letter, the finer the diamond.

For more information on what diamond appraisers – and you– should consider when examining a quality diamond,  contact Ralph Mueller & Associates at ralphmueller.com or reach us directly at 480-949-9299.