Blue Diamond Ring Guide
So you are ready to get a blue diamond ring?
You should be aware of a few things first.
Almost all (and I really mean that to the tune of about 99.50%) of blue diamonds on the market did not start off that way. Those are usually diamonds, that had a different color rough (the original unpolished and uncut version of a diamond) and where than treated later on, to bring out a blue color. In case you are wondering what that treatment is, those diamonds get irradiated.
Please do not get me wrong here, those diamonds are very beautiful, I just thought it was important for everyone to know the truth some retailers will avoid telling you.
Natural blue diamonds are extremely rare and demand a premium price on the market.
Since most of us can not afford a natural fancy colored diamond, I am going to talk about treated once exclusively.
Diamonds (treated or otherwise), are judged by the same criteria as their white counterparts and that is by what the industry refers to as the 4 C’s:
Color: while white diamonds are judged by a scale that starts with the letter D (whitest), M and below (slightly yellow tint), blue diamonds are judged by their hue and the depth of color. Greenish blue diamonds are, in my opinion, not all that attractive, while sky-blue, or a deep, even, blue is more desirable.
Clarity: this shows how many inclusions (flaws) a diamond has. from best to worst it goes F = Flawless, IF = Internally Flawless (might have some pinpoint or a little scratch on the outside), VVS1 = Very Very Slightly Included (you will need a very strong microscope to see anything), VVS2 = Very Very Slightly Included, VS1 = Very slightly Included (you will not find any inclusions with a loupe = 10 x magnification), VS2, SI1 = (here you can see inclusions with the loupe, although it will be hard for an untrained eye), SI2 = (you should see inclusions with a loupe, even if you are not trained), SI3 (on EGL certificates) = you will see inclusions with a loupe, and probably even with the naked eye, unless you are completely blind, in which case I suggest to bring someone along when you shop, I1,-I5 = very easy to see inclusions without any magnification.