Benold's Jewelers: The Ultimate Guide to Diamonds

Staff Writer

Austin American-Statesman

Benold's Jewelers has been Austin's destination for exquisite fine jewelry since 1929, featuring such esteemed jewelry lines as this Verragio Parisian Collection of engagement rings.

At Benold’s Jewelers, we embrace “pickiness” because we understand the intimate feeling that goes into an engagement ring. Understanding all of a diamond’s characteristics and the ability to determine which qualities are more important than others is essential in making an informed decision. Remember the Four C’s: Your first step to buying your perfect engagement ring is to get acquainted with “the four Cs” of diamonds: cut, color, clarity and carat. These need to be examined closely before you can determine the fifth “C” – Cost.

CUT: The Ideal Cut:The cut of a diamond is considered the most important characteristic of a diamond due to its effect on brilliance. The cut refers to the reflective qualities rather than the shape (i.e. round, emerald, pear, etc.). The Ideal Cut is intended to maximize brilliance and creates the most “fire” or sparkling flashes, rainbow colors disperse through the top as light enters from any direction. These ideal proportions apply only to round diamonds; its symmetry with 58 exactly placed facets, and produces the ultimate in luster and beauty. Some diamonds are “spread” in their cutting to retain maximum weight from the original rough. A heavier diamond will result but at the detriment to its potential fire and brilliance.

CLARITY: Nothing’s Perfect, But...:Almost all diamonds contain naturally occurring flaws called inclusions. The size, nature of, location and amount of these inclusions determine a diamond’s clarity grade, which affects its value and cost. In most shapes, an SI clarity grade will produce a diamond that is “clean” to the eye. A unique advantage of the Ideal Cut is that its sparkle can mask otherwise noticeable inclusions.

CARAT: Bigger Isn’t Always Better:A carat is a unit of measurement used to weigh a diamond. One carat is equal to 200 milligrams, or 0.2 grams. It is divided into 100 parts called “points.” (i.e. 1ct. = 1.00, 1/2 ct. = 0.50). The value of two diamonds of the same weight can vary greatly depending on the color, clarity and especially the cut. For example, in the image, you'll see two identical pieces of rough (uncut) diamonds, each of the same quality and value.

The first one is an Ideal Cut Diamond weighing 1 carat. Light reflects brilliantly from the top. The second diamond has been “spread” in its cutting, resulting in a 1.40 carat diamond. The girdle is thicker, the table is much larger, and the angles are exaggerated, and all at the expense of that diamond’s ability to reflect light.

COLOR: Less is More:Most diamonds, although appearing colorless, actually have slight tones of yellow or brown. As these tones become more apparent, the rarity and the cost decrease. Diamonds graded “D” through “I” are naturally the most valuable, desirable and will produce an exceedingly white appearance.

Let Us Help You Become a Diamond Expert! Buying a diamond is typically a new experience for most people, but that doesn’t mean it should be overwhelming. Follow the four C’s of diamonds, and you’ll not only get the absolute perfect engagement ring, you'll also get the best value from your diamond.

There’s also no such thing as being too picky when it comes to an engagement ring and wedding band that you will wear for a lifetime. We have nothing but the highest quality gems at Benold’s because we know our clients will settle for nothing but the best. So, be as picky as you want, and remember your Benold’s diamond purchase comes with a Lifetime Diamond Trade-in Policy. This means that 100% of your original purchase price may be applied towards the purchase of a new diamond of greater value.* For the finest engagement ring and wedding band selection in Austin, stop by Benold’s Jewelers, 2900 West Anderson Lane, 512-452-6491. Open weekdays, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

* This applies exclusively to solitaire diamonds, the center diamond of engagement rings, diamond stud earrings and diamond solitaire pendants purchased at Benold’s. (*The new purchase must be twice the price of the original or greater.) All trade-in diamonds must be in new selling condition at the time of the trade-in. Every diamond solitaire purchase at Benold’s includes: FREE presentation mounting, FREE Sizing, FREE appraisal for insurance purposes, FREE maintenance inspections & FREE cleaning and polishing. Benold’s Jewelers also offers special interest financing through Wells Fargo with approved credit and 90-day layaway.