Diamond Clarity – Are you sure it’s right?

Is the SI1 diamond clarity on your certificate really a SI1 Diamond?

True SI1 Clarity Diamonds

You would be surprised at how different a SI1 Diamond or any clarity diamond, for that fact, can look from diamond dealer to diamond dealer to Website to website.

If you would like save yourself a headache from a long return you should take a look at this article. Is your SI1 clarity diamond good enough?

Here you’ll learn what a true SI1 diamond should like, and you’ll see what you should expect to get if you buy a SI1 diamond graded by less than strict diamond grading labs. You’ll also find out why a SI2 diamond is NOT eye clean, despite what some diamond sites want you to believe. Same goes with an I1 clarity diamond.

At SecretDiamond we do our best to education people, and sometimes that means letting you know how the diamond industry really works, especially when it comes to diamond grading and the all might dollar.

It’s definitely worth the read.

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SI1 vs SI2 vs SI3 what’s the difference

What’s the difference between SI1 vs SI2 vs SI3? I’ll do my best to explain. SI1 means slightly included, SI2 means slightly included two, and SI3 mean slightly included three. Each is basically a degree of inclusions to a diamond.

In most cases SI1 SHOULD mean clean to the naked eye. Meaning the difference between SI1 and VS2 should really be negligible. SI2 graded diamond you will be able to see inclusions usually black and clearly seen. SI3 is a made up term within the last few years. If was thought up so diamond wholesalers could say their diamond was a SI clarity and not an I1. GIA doesn’t even recognize SI3 is a clarity grade and neither should you. SI3 is nothing more than an I1 diamond. Which means that diamond will be worth less and will have inclusions you can see with the naked eye.

To get even more technical. SI2 and I1 diamonds are basically the same. When I1 will have more obvious inclusions and SI2 will have the same amount of inclusions but in a somewhat less obvious spot.

Things to watch out for. Do not under any circumstances take any online jewelers word that a SI2 clarity or SI3, or I1 clarity is eye clean. IT IS NOT. If you run across a jeweler that states this be on your guard and ask to see the diamond before hand. Perhaps have them send the diamond to a local jeweler so you can inspect it. There are rare cases where a SI2 looks eye clean or at least close. However it’s not out of the ordinary for a SI1 diamond to be eye clean and look beautiful.

Not all SI1, SI2 and SI3 diamonds are graded equal. Another thing you need to watch out for is the grading lab that graded that diamond. I’m sure you’ve heard of GIA. GIA is to diamond grading what Nike is to shoes. It’s the foremost authority. Not a single insurance company will argue with GIA. Any diamond graded by GIA is worth more, any diamond graded by GIA is taken at face value. A GIA diamond is exactly what it says on the paper. If GIA graded your diamond a E in color, you can bet that diamond is a colorless diamond. However if EGL Israel graded a diamond E you can usually be sure that it’s at least 2-3 grades off. So that E graded EGL Israel diamond will be according to GIA a G/H colored diamond. Big Difference! And this is done all the time. WHY?

Because some wholesalers and jewelers believe that GIA grades to harsh. And because of this very idea, many diamond grading labs have sprung up. So you have to play the game. Follow me here.

If a diamond is graded by EGL Israel, or EGL International to be a SI1 diamond you can absolutely sure it’s more like a SI2 – I1 diamond. They grade higher so the diamond will be worth more. However everyone in the diamond industry knows that a diamond graded by EGL Israel or EGL International is not worth the paper it’s printed on. Simply because they exaggerate. However because everyone knows this, the diamond is worth less. Not because it’s a bad diamond, but because everyone knows that E is really G, or that SI1 is really a SI2-I1. They are cheaper in price.

So let’s say you want to save some money. Don’t look for a GIA, or EGL USA diamond. The top two grading labs. Look instead for a EGL Israel, or International  graded diamond. If you want a colorless diamond, look for a diamond graded D. If you want a nice white look for diamond graded E or F. If you want an eye clean diamond look for a diamond that is graded Vs1 or VS2. When you do this you will save money. Just remember to knock 2 grades off whatever EGL Israel or EGL International says it is and you’ll be ok, and save money. They same goes for diamonds graded by “in house” graders.

In general if you don’t see GIA or EGLUSA assume the clarity and color is off by 1-2 grades.

Here’s a way to help you understand color. (No this has nothing to do with SI1 vs SI2 vs SI3) this is just a little tidbit that for some reason helps men shopping for their future wife understand color better. Every heard of a LCD TV? Well a pure LCD tv uses old technology bulbs or lighting to light the screen of your tv. The color is alright, but when compared to a LED backlit tv you would be shocked. The LED is sharp, crisp, bright, and the old LCD lighting is somewhat darker. That’s the difference between D-G and H-J. Just remember LCD vs LED and it will help…or not. It helped me when I first started to learn. One other thing. If you happen to get a lower colored diamond in the H-J range make sure you get a setting made of white gold, palladium or platinum. The white of the setting will reflect white, of course, helping your diamond look a color grade or two better than it actually is.

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What should an engagement ring cost

This is actually one of the easiest questions to answer. Quite simply. An Engagement ring should cost exactly what you feel comfortable paying. Do not spend 2-3 months salary if you don’t have to, or you can’t afford it. Those are just marketing ploys by the big companies trying to make you feel like less of a person if you don’t pay as much as you possibly can.

However, don’t confuse paying what you can afford, to not paying what the diamond is actually worth. Another words if your budget says you can only spend $1500, then you need to work with that cost by balancing the 4cs of the diamond the best you can within your budget. Do not think you will find a 1 ct round vs2 / e color diamond plus an engagement ring setting for $1500. Most likely it will not happen. Our best advice is not worry about the quantity or how big the center diamond is, and instead concentrate fully on the quality of the diamond.

Personally speaking, I would rather have a .75 F/G color / VS2/SI1 diamond that is absolutely clean to the naked eye and have a beautiful white color that sparkles with immense brilliance, than to have a 1 ct diamond that is H/I in color (which is yellow tinted) and SI2 in clarity (which show inclusions to the naked eye). People will oooh and ahhh over the .75 diamond, however people will not have much to say to you if the diamond you just gave your fiance is a yellow/ black carbon invested diamond that does not sparkle.

Now that may be an exaggeration there. But you get the point. Work within your budget, not someone else’s budget. But the BEST diamond you can, NOT the biggest. If you go with quality over quantity you can never go wrong.

Also remember, you are most likely just starting out. Why pay above your means for an engagement ring that will only put you in debt. Instead pay ONLY what you can comfortably afford, and use the savings on the wedding, honeymoon, or even on a downpayment on a house. You can always upgrade later.

To sum up. How much should you spend on an engagement ring? Whatever you can comfortably afford.

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Philadelphia Engagement Rings

We get quite a few phone calls from all over the world, but it seems that currently Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is our number one city for engagement rings.  Other cities in Pennsylvania that we are hearing a lot from are Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie and Reading.  However we have also sold engagement rings to customers in Scranton, Bethlehem (You gotta Love That City) Lancaster, Levittown and last but not least, Harrisburg.  Currently one of our favorite emails from a potential client stated “I was told that Secret Diamond was the store to go to for “Engagement Rings In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania“.

Engagement Rings in Philadelphia

Engagement Rings in Philadelphia

Not to be one to argue with our customers, I chuckled and asked how he heard that?  Apparently a business associate of his that is also living in Philadelphia, purchased his wife’s engagement ring from us a couple months ago.  Now since we have quite a few customers from Pennsylvania, I didn’t know which one he was referring to.  So i asked him the name of his business associate and he told me.  Now I will admit that I don’t remember everyone of our customers names right away, but this one I did.  You see, he happened to be one of the more colorful and friendly gentlemen that I ever had the pleasure of selling an engagement ring to.  To make a long story short, we sold the gentleman his engagement ring and now he is another happy customer from “The City Of Brotherly Love“.

Philadelphia Engagement Rings

Philadelphia Engagement Rings

Philly Engagement Ring” customers have been pretty good to us, as well as the entire state of Pennsylvania.  Most of the people calling are finding us through “word of mouth” from our previous engagement ring customers.  We also sell quite a bit of diamond jewelry for anniversaries and birthdays, to our previous customers from “The Liberty Bell State”.

So we just wanted to take a minute and say thanks to every one from the fine state of Philadelphia.  Here’s to all of you and we look forward to hearing from you soon!

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