A Simple Guide To Shopping For A Diamond Bracelet

If you’re shopping for a diamond bracelet for yourself or a loved one, be sure to do your homework! There is a wealth of information out there about buying diamond rings, but not as much attention is given to choosing other types of diamond jewelry like bracelets. Whether you’re interested in purchasing a classic diamond tennis bracelet, or you’re hunting for something more unique, here are some tips. 

The Four C's Of Diamonds

The first step when purchasing a diamond bracelet is to revisit the “Four Cs” of diamonds. If you’re not already familiar with them, they refer to the following characteristics: cut, clarity, color, and carat weight. Together, these four traits determine a diamond’s quality and monetary value. 

A diamond’s cut, not to be confused with its shape, refers to its reflective qualities. The grading system for a diamond’s cut ranges from Ideal to Poor, and is made up of several types of measurements. A well-cut diamond has a brilliant sparkle that is detectable even to the untrained eye, so some consider cut to be the most important of the four Cs. 

Clarity means the presence or absence of external flaws (blemishes) and/or internal flaws (inclusions). You should check the clarity grade for any diamond you’re considering, because only a gemologist’s microscope can detect most flaws. But this means that even a “flawed” diamond can appear stunning. 

Color does not signify the pink or blue hues that you may associate with rare colored diamonds, but rather the presence of color in a white diamond. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) uses a grading scale that ranks diamonds from D (colorless) through the rest of the alphabet to Z (yellowish or brownish). Colorless diamonds are the most valuable, yet those slightly less than colorless still are considered attractive. 

Carat weight measures the diamond’s actual size. One carat weighs 0.2 grams. This is probably the easiest of the four Cs to understand. The bigger the diamond, the higher the price tag, all other things being equal! (Note that the carat weight of a diamond bracelet includes the total weight of all its diamonds.) 

Designs And Clasps

When buying a diamond bracelet, you’re purchasing an intricate piece of jewelry, so you need to know about more than just the characteristics of the individual diamonds. The overall design and appearance of the bracelet are just as important. You should be asking the seller how the stones are set in the bracelet. Prong settings and channel settings are two common styles. Finally, there are different types of clasps, and you will want to choose one that will ensure that your new diamond bracelet will be worn securely for years to come!