At Kirk’s we sell the majority of our diamonds LOOSE in the unmounted state so that you can personally compare many diamonds and properly judge COLOR, CUT, CLARITY and CARAT WEIGHT. It's the way we buy diamonds; it's the way you should buy your diamond. Here are all the basics to get you started...

 

Diamonds, the Romantic of Gemstones:

Diamonds, the hardest and most romantic of all gemstones, are graded by the “4Cs.” The 4Cs are: color, clarity, cut, and carat weight. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) created this International Diamond Grading System in 1953. The 4Cs are accepted by virtually every jeweler in the country as the standard for diamonds.

Color

The best color for a diamond is none—it is absolutely colorless. The GIA color scale ranges from D, which is colorless, down to Z, which includes diamonds that are light yellow and brown in color. Diamonds that are outside this range and are more vivid in color (blue, pink, green, etc) are categorized by the GIA as colored diamonds known as "Fancy Colors." Grading colored diamonds is done by highly specialized GIA gemologists, who examine the diamonds by comparing them with comparison masters to ensure balance of color value. This rating system contains nine-tiers; from Faint to Fancy Vivid.  Kirk’s Jewelry recommends buying a stone of J color or better.

Clarity

A diamond's clarity is determined by viewing it under 10-power magnification. A flawless diamond has no natural "birthmarks", called inclusions, or surface irregularities, called blemishes. The most valuable diamonds have no imperfections at all. Keep in mind that a higher clarity stone is not always the most beautiful. Inclusions not visible to the naked eye really do not change the look of the stone they just add to its price and rarity.

Cut

The cut of a diamond refers to it's proportions, finish, symmetry, and polish. These factors determine the fire and brilliance of the diamond. Brilliance is the amount of light reflected to the eye. Of the 4Cs, this is the only one that is influenced by people, the rest come from nature. The importance of cut is that it allows light to reflect at an optimum level, making the diamond more beautiful in its fire and brilliance. Diamonds are normally cut with 58 facets, or separate flat surfaces. The facets are determined by a mathematical formula that places the angles at precise relation to each other to increase a diamond's beauty.

Carat Weight

The weight of a diamond is expressed in carats. The larger a diamond, the more it weighs. One carat is divided into 100 points. Therefore, a diamond weighing a half a carat weighs 50 points or .50 carats. Points are usually not used to describe weights over 1 carat. The rarity of a diamond is greatly affected by its size. A 1.00-carat diamond is far more valuable than a .50-carat stone.

Shopping for Diamonds

There is NO substitute for working with REAL diamonds in a REAL store.

At Kirk's we offer a brokered diamonds at extremely competitive prices, as well as a large inventory of loose diamonds. This allows you the opportunity to actually see your stone before you purchase it. Our goal is to help you chose the perfect diamond for that one of a kind person in your life. We pride ourselves on the quality of our diamonds, the craftmanship of our pieces and our commitment to customer service.

Before you buy a diamond on the web, here are a few things to consider.....

Do you ever wonder why professional jewelers don’t buy diamonds on the web?
Why is it that professional jewelers, those who work every day in the diamond business, don’t buy diamonds over the internet? Professional diamond dealers and jewelers go through hundreds of diamonds at a time, analyzing subtle differences in diamonds that on paper look very, very similar. No two diamonds are alike. No two diamonds have exactly the same look, fire and personality. Even when comparing three virtually identical diamonds, one will always be more beautiful than the rest. Anyone who knows diamonds, who works with them every day, will tell you that buying diamonds on the web is a fool’s game!

In the diamond business, you do not buy what you cannot see.
How many diamonds can you actually see on the web? None...not one. The only way to see a diamond is to buy it, have it shipped to you and then you can actually see it...how crazy is that? The sad truth is that the only people who are buying diamonds on the web are the people who know the least about diamonds.

Diamonds are not a commodity; they are fine art.
Like every piece of art, the beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Only you will know when you see the right diamond, the one that really speaks to you. That is why you must take the time to sit down with a professional jeweler to really look at diamonds, lots of them, to know what you like and don’t like. There is one right diamond for the one you love and, when you see it, you’ll know it.

Visit us at Kirk's Jewelry to find the diamond that fits your needs and your budget!