For the average person who simply wants to buy a diamond that looks good, the primary objective is usually to find a diamond with high grades regarding the 4cs that are used to appraise a diamond. This would include the diamond’s carat weight, as well as how well the diamond was cut, the clarity rating of the diamond and also a color grade. While this information provides a basic overview of the quality level of a particular diamond, some people would like to go into more technical details. A diamond grading certificate, which is usually provided to a customer when they would like to obtain more information regarding a diamond they are interested in, holds details of the 4cs, as well as more technical specifications of such a diamond.
A variety of technical specifications are available for those who are more experienced in the diamond industry. Even those who are not yet as experienced may find that looking at these technical specifications can be helpful to ensure they gain better value for their money, but there are many important factors that should be considered here. When it comes to certain qualities, it might be nice to have the term “excellent” described on a piece of paper, but sometimes this would not actually affect the visual appearance of such a diamond. We would like to discuss diamond symmetry in particular here, and provide an overview of the most appropriate qualities to opt for to get a high-quality diamond without paying too much.
Diamond Symmetry
We should start by considering what the term “symmetry” really means on a diamond grading certificate. When you take a close look, you will see that the symmetry of a diamond is rated as “poor”, “fair”, “good”, “excellent” and similar levels, but you may also find some notes made in this section about the symmetry of the particular diamond you are looking at.
Symmetry is a term that is used to describe the alignment of the diamond’s various parts. For example, a good symmetry means the edges of the bottom and top facets lines up correctly, as well as that the facets that are found around a diamond are aligned in a symmetrical way. Poor symmetry refers to a diamond where the proportions are wrong and the alignments of certain features are not symmetrical.
When buying a diamond, many people may want to opt for a symmetry rating of “excellent”. While this might be a nice term to have on a piece of paper, a.k.a. the diamond grading certificate, not even a diamond expert would be able to recognize a diamond with a “good”, “very good” or “excellent” rating from each other in most cases. Thus, people are usually advised to rather opt for a “good” or “very good” rating, as this would cut the diamond’s price considerably, while still offering the customer a high-quality diamond that will look really good to the naked eye.
When it comes to lower grades, however, such as “fine” or “poor”, then it may be possible to observe lower qualities of the diamond with the naked eye.
Conclusion
While the 4cs of diamond quality offers a relatively comprehensive overview of how a diamond will look to the naked eye, the technical specifications provided on a diamond grading certificate offers more detailed information as to the diamond’s actual appearance. In this post, we have taken a look at diamond symmetry, a particular technical specification that is also provided on such a certificate. We analyzed what the term means, as well as what ratings a person should really opt for when buying a diamond.
About Kevin Lee
Kevin Lee is a former tech advisor who cut his teeth in Silicon Valley. He now spends his time sharing his passion for investing in diamonds and jewelry. You can reach Kevin for any comments by using the contact form on this site. Don't forget to sign up for his free "Investing 101 Guide" by clicking on the button at the top right of this website.