Did you know that the cost of diamonds per carat can range from $2,000 to $16,000? But what influences these prices? What are the different types of diamonds that you can buy?
If you’re interested in learning all about the different types of diamonds available, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to learn about diamond types and the jewelry industry.
Types of Diamonds on the Market Today
There is more to diamond types than appearance or color. Determining type is actually a scientific process that evaluates a gemstone’s purity. Diamonds have five classes with a label of a number and letter(s).
Type I: These gems are abundant in nature. Impurities come from nitrogen, which impacts how the diamond absorbs light and the color it appears as. Many consider this the best diamond type for its affordability.
Type Ia: This is the most commonly occurring type of diamond. The nitrogen concentrates cause them to give off a subtle yellowish hue.
Type IaA: A different type on a structural level but appears the same as type 1a diamonds. Here the nitrogen atoms are in pairs, but it has no impact on the gem’s color.
Type IaB: These diamonds are darker, appearing yellow or brown in tint.
Type II: Rare diamonds that have no impurities due to nitrogen. They have different chemical structures which allow them to give off different colors. They are prized for their brilliant sparkle in the jewelry industry.
Type IIa: Less than two percent of natural diamonds belong to this classification. They have little to no impurities and appear colorless.
Type IIb: The rarest and priciest natural diamonds, which often appear in gray or blue tints. Instead of nitrogen, they contain impurities of boron.
Lab-Grown Diamonds
Increasingly, people are looking for alternatives to natural mined diamonds. The controversies surrounding natural gemstones involve harm to the environment, unsafe working conditions, and exploitation of miners. Additionally, the diamond industry funds wars and promotes corruption and violence, especially in developing nations.
The alternative to mining diamonds is synthetic creation. Lab-grown diamonds are more ethical and retain the same structural and chemical properties as gemstones found in the earth. This also creates more affordable diamonds for young buyers.
The Four Cs
Further ways of classifying diamonds, especially for a particular type of jewelry, is by the 4 Cs: color, clarity, cut, and carat weight. A fifth C, standing for “conflict-free,” is sometimes added to the list.
Color: Diamonds with no impurities tend to be colorless, which adds to their value. Lesser quality gems have a yellow tint. The rarest and most expensive are red diamonds.
Cut: A diamond’s cut is what gives it its trademark sparkle. The shape (round, princess, oval, Asscher) determines the number of facets. The more facets, the shiner the gem is.
Carat weight: Carats express diamond weights. One carat is 200 milligrams—the higher the carat weight, the pricer the diamond.
When you do your research and find the perfect diamond for you, you can verify the authenticity or personalize it with laser engraving.
Make an Informed Decision When Buying Your Diamonds
Gemstones may weigh and look identical, but carry much different prices tags. Value and costs vary widely between different types of diamonds due to rarity and purity. Lab-grown diamonds are indistinguishable from natural gems, but more affordable and sustainable.
Whatever type of diamond you invest in, make sure it’s protected by laser engraving. If you’re interested in learning more about all kinds of cool subjects, check out the rest of our blog!