The two basic factors of BEAUTY and RARITY are what determine value, but the two are not necessarily proportional or correlated. Quality is determined by the 4-C's as discussed elsewhere in this web page. If the four quality factors are exceptionally high, that creates rarity as well, in which case both factors come into play. But sometimes there is great rarity without creating beauty. A good example is the Hope Diamond which is now on display at the Smithsonian in Washington, D. C. This diamond is rare because of its deep sapphire blue color---as well as it's significant history during the French Revolution and beyond. But many people do not see great beauty in the Hope because of its inky blue color and lack of brilliance.
On the other hand, a diamond can be very beautiful (as beautiful as is possible to achieve) if the quality factors are correctly balanced. In fact, the real secret to buying a beautiful diamond for the least amount of money is to know where to compromise on the 4-C's of quality. The problem is that most sellers of diamonds lack the gemological training to be able to determine the exact quality of the 4-C's, and therefore are not able to advise you on how or where to compromise and still retain maximum beauty.
One way to understand this is to think about shopping for a new car if none of the cars had names, brands or models. In other words if the car was a “blind item” where you had to depend entirely on the seller for information on what to buy. We all know that cars can vary greatly in quality and cost from the lowest quality car for a few thousand dollars up to a Rolls Royce costing several hundred thousand dollars. There are hundreds of different brands of cars and every seller claims his is the best one to buy, but obviously that is not necessarily true….there are often hidden differences that make a difference in price. If you have an unlimited budget and price is no factor, you can simply buy the Rolls Royce and be assured that you have not compromised quality for price. But the fact is, you can buy a number of different cars that will be perfectly suited for you , at far less cost, if you know where to compromise. And that is the real secret to selecting a diamond.
You can't do that when buying a diamond sight-unseen, and without the help of a Certified Gemologist. Even diamond experts who have spent a lifetime in the business never buy a diamond sight-unseen. It's all-important to see it, understand it, know it, and place emphasis on the quality factors that most influence beauty.
The fact is, when her friends see it on her finger, they will admire, (or dislike) the diamond because of its beauty (or lack of). They could care less about the actual grade except for how it affects beauty. That is why the Beauty Grade© number is so important. It is a direct measure of how much light, brilliance and beauty is emanating from the diamond.
This is the major reason that Underwood's excels in the beauty and value of the diamonds we offer. Our slogan is “Underwood's Is Where You Buy The Best”, and that includes the professional advice we offer in your purchase. We know where to make the compromises for you……compromises that won't affect beauty,but that will help you with the price.
Diamond prices are extremely uniform throughout the world (if you are comparing apples to apples), and are much more stable than gold, platinum, other gemstones, or the U. S. Dollar. That is because DeBeers mines and markets most of the diamonds sold in the world. I have heard people claim that if DeBeers was not a monopoly that diamonds would be worth “a dime a dozen.” But I can tell you that is not true. On average, more than 250 tons of ore must be processed to yield a single 1 Carat diamond. Then the diamond must be cut, analyzed, graded and evaluated before being offered to the ultimate buyer. Frankly, I am continually surprised at how inexpensive diamonds are when one considers the cost of mining and production.