Blue Nile Diamond Review

Platinum is a natural white precious metal. It is famous for pure, rare and everlasting features. It is widely seen as the top material for making wedding rings.

Why pick platinum wedding rings? Main advantages

High purity & low allergy risk

Platinum jewelry usual has a purity of 90% to 95%. Common marks are Pt900 or Pt950. The rest parts are mixed with other precious metals to make it harder. Thanks to its high purity, it works great for people with sensitive skin. It hardly cause skin allergies.

Timeless luster

Platinum’s white shine is natural. It will never fade or turn yellow. Over years, the surface may get scratches and wear, which people call patina. But the metal inside stays white all the time. It stand for endless and faithful love.

Strong and durable

Platinum has high density. It is tough and long-lasting. It can hold precious gemstones like diamonds firmly and stop them from falling off. That makes it a perfect choice for engagement rings and wedding bands with diamonds.

Great rarity

Platinum is much rarer than gold. Mining and refining process is also more difficult. So its value is higher than gold. Wearing a platinum ring means you hold a precious promise.

Solid weight

With high density, a platinum ring feel heavier than white gold ring of the same size. You can clearly feel its texture when wearing.

Points you need to know (Disadvantages)

Higher price

Because it is rare and high in purity, platinum rings cost about 1.5 to 2 times more than gold or white gold rings with same weight.

Easy to get scratches

Platinum is relatively soft. It gets tiny scratches more easily during daily wear. But these marks only move the metal surface, not lose material. The weight almost never drop. Many people love these traces left by time.

Soft luster

Compare with shiny white gold, platinum has a mild and elegant matte white glow. If you love super bright shine, you need to polish it more often.

Platinum vs White Gold

Color: Platinum has natural pure white, no discoloration. White gold is originally yellow. It is coated with rhodium to look white. Once the coating wear off, pale yellow will show up and needs re-plating regularly.

Purity: Platinum is high, mostly 95%. White gold is lower, generally 75% gold mixed with other metals.

Wear resistance: Platinum is soft and easy to scratch, no metal loss. White gold is harder and scratch-resistant, but the rhodium layer fades over time.

Weight: Platinum is heavy and solid. White gold is lighter.

Allergy: Platinum causes nearly no allergy. White gold contains nickel, some people will get skin problems.

Price: Platinum is more expensive. White gold costs less.

Maintenance: Platinum just need occasional polishing. White gold needs rhodium re-coating every few years.

Shopping tips

Check stamps carefully. Look for Pt950 or Pt900 inside the ring, they prove real platinum. Choose trusted jewelry brands for good quality and after-sales service. Try the ring on in person, since platinum is heavy. Its strong structure fits complex designs and stone setting well. Simple plain bands also show its gentle luster perfectly. Do make a reasonable budget for platinum rings.

Care & cleaning

Take it off when doing housework or sports. Keep it away from chemicals like bleach, perfume and hair spray. For daily clean, use mild soapy water and a soft brush, then dry it with soft cloth. Send it to jewelry store for professional check, cleaning and polishing every few years. Also check the prongs regularly to keep diamonds safe.

Moissanite is beautiful jewelry. It has high hardness and great cost performance. But it is not a real diamond. It is not lab-grown diamond either. Moissanite is an excellent diamond simulant and alternative. However, its chemical composition and physical property are totally different from diamond.

Natural moissanite can hardly be found on Earth. The reserve is too small to support the jewelry market. For this reason, all moissanite jewelry sold today are made in lab. Its scientific name is synthetic silicon carbide, or SiC.

Moissanite is a mineral that exist in nature but extremely rare. It was first discovered by Dr. Henri Moissan, a Nobel Prize winner. That is how this stone got its name.

Moissanite VS Lab-Grown Diamond

Here is a clear chart showing their key differences.

Chemical Composition

Moissanite: Silicon Carbide (SiC)

Lab-Grown Diamond: Pure Carbon (C)

This is the biggest difference. They are two completely different substances.

Origin

Moissanite: Lab created. Natural moissanite is almost impossible to find.

Lab-Grown Diamond: Cultivated inside laboratory.

Both are man-made stones, but their materials are not the same.

Hardness (Mohs Scale)

Moissanite: 9.25

Lab-Grown Diamond: 10

Diamond is the hardest natural material in the world. Moissanite ranks second. Both are tough enough for daily wearing.

Refractive Index

Moissanite: 2.65 – 2.69

Lab-Grown Diamond: 2.42

Moissanite has higher refractive index. It produce much stronger fire and rainbow sparkle. It looks brighter than diamond, but the strong flash may look unnatural to some people.

Dispersion

Moissanite: 0.104

Lab-Grown Diamond: 0.044

Moissanite’s dispersion is 2.5 times higher than diamond. This is why it shows such outstanding colorful fire.

Luster

Moissanite: Sub-adamantine luster

Lab-Grown Diamond: Adamantine luster

Professional jeweler can tell them apart by luster. Diamond has sharper and more brilliant shine.

Thermal & Electrical Conductivity

Moissanite: Conduct heat and electricity

Lab-Grown Diamond: Conduct heat

Common diamond tester works by checking heat conductivity. So moissanite will also show “diamond” on basic testers. But professional electric tester can tell the two apart easily.

Price

Moissanite: Much cheaper

Lab-Grown Diamond: Lower than natural diamond, but more expensive than moissanite

A high-quality 1 carat moissanite only cost tens to hundreds of currency units. A 1 carat lab-grown diamond will cost several thousand instead.

To sum up, moissanite is never a type of lab-grown diamond. It is just a high-quality diamond simulant. Lab-grown diamond is real diamond in nature. Both are lab made, but their chemicals and physical traits are fully different.

When you make a purchas, think about your budget, personal needs and how much you value authenticity. Choose the right stone that suit you best.

Fancy color diamonds refer to diamonds with obvious natural body color. Their color must be deep and saturated enough. They go beyond the D-Z color range for colorless diamonds. Their color comes from trace elements or lattice distortion during geological formation. Fancy color diamonds are miracles of nature. Their value mostly lies in their one-of-a-kind hues.

How Fancy Color Diamonds Get Their Color

Here are the main color causes and notes for each type.

Yellow

Cause: Nitrogen atoms.

Note: It is the most common fancy color diamond. People often call it canary yellow.

Blue

Cause: Boron atoms.

Note: Extremely rare. The famous Hope Diamond is a blue diamond.

Pink

Cause: Lattice distortion.

Note: Huge pressure changes the atomic structure. Pink diamonds are rare and high price.

Green

Cause: Natural radiation.

Note: Formed after long time natural radiation. It is very hard to find.

Red

Cause: Lattice distortion plus nitrogen elements.

Note: The rarest color of all. You can barely see red diamonds on the market.

Orange

Cause: Nitrogen elements and lattice distortion.

Note: Pure vivid orange diamonds are extremely scarce.

Purple

Cause: Hydrogen elements and lattice distortion.

Note: Very rare. Most purple diamonds have pink or grey secondary tones.

Brown / Cognac

Cause: Lattice defects or nitrogen elements.

Note: They were mainly used for industrial use in the past. Now they are very popular as fashion jewelry.

Black

Cause: Large amounts of graphite or mineral inclusions.

Note: Opaque stone with a special mysterious look.

Buying Guide for Fancy Color Diamonds

Set your budget first

The price range of fancy color diamonds is extremely wide. You need to know your budget clearly before shopping.

Choose diamonds with official certificates

Only pick fancy color diamonds with certificates from well-known institutes like GIA. A reliable certificate is the base for investment and collection.

Color is the top priority

Spend most of your budget on better color. It is better to choose a diamond with high color grade, such as Fancy Intense or Fancy Vivid. It is okay if it has slightly smaller carat weight or lower clarity.

See the stone in person

Color is a very personal feeling. Two diamonds with the same certificate grade may look different to your eyes. Always check the diamond face to face. If you cannot visit the store, ask for high-definition videos.

Think about the setting metal

The color of ring metal can greatly change how a fancy diamond looks. For example, yellow diamonds show warmer tone when set with rose gold. White gold can better bring out the soft beauty of pink diamonds.

How to Grade Fancy Color Diamonds – The New 4C Standard

Grading rules for fancy color diamonds are different from colorless diamonds. Color takes the leading role. It accounts for about 70 to 80 percent of the total value. People usually call this system “4C + 1C”.

Color – The most important factor

Hue

It means the main color of the diamond, such as pink, blue or yellow. Sometimes a diamond has more than one tone. We call these extra shades secondary colors. For example, pink with purple overtones.

Saturation

This stands for how strong the color is.

Tone

It refers to how light or dark the color appears.

Color Grading Scale

From light to deep, the grades are listed below:

Faint → Very Light → Light → Fancy Light → Fancy → Fancy Dark → Fancy Intense → Fancy Deep → Fancy Vivid

Value Reference

Normally, Fancy Vivid is the highest grade and has the highest value. Next are Fancy Intense and Fancy Deep. You also need to consider how rare the hue is when judging value.

Carat Weight

Just like colorless diamonds, bigger carat size means higher rarity. But for fancy color diamonds, color effect is far more important than carat weight. A small Fancy Vivid diamond can cost much more than a large Fancy Light diamond.

Cut

For fancy diamonds, cutters do not focus only on brilliance anymore. The main goal is to maximize color intensity and beauty. Cutters choose the best shape and proportion according to color distribution on rough stones. Radiant, cushion and emerald cuts are very common choices.

Clarity

Clarity become much less important here. The strong color can easily cover inclusions inside the stone. It is acceptable as long as inclusions do not hurt durability and are not too obvious when viewed from the table. Fancy color diamonds with SI or even I clarity grade are very common on market.

Certificate – The extra 5th C

This part is extremely important. The fancy color diamond market is complicated. Authorized certificate is the only proof to tell natural color apart from color treated stones.

GIA, the Gemological Institute of America, issues the most trusted fancy color diamond reports in the industry. The report writes down full details, including color grade, hue and natural color origin.

Famous Fancy Color Diamonds and Their Value

Red Diamonds

They are the rarest type. The price can reach millions US dollars per carat.

Blue Diamonds & Pink Diamonds

They rank second. They are super stars at diamond auctions and set many record high prices. Famous examples are the Oppenheimer Blue and CTF Pink Star.

Green Diamonds & Orange Diamonds

Extremely rare and carry an ultra-high value.

Yellow Diamonds

They are the most affordable among all fancy color diamonds. Even so, Fancy Vivid Yellow diamonds still cost a lot of money.

Lab-Grown Fancy Color Diamonds

Lab-grown fancy color diamonds are created in laboratories. Scientists use high-tech methods to copy the high temperature and high pressure environment deep in the earth mantle. Another common way is CVD, chemical vapor deposition. These lab made stones have bright natural-looking color. Their physical, chemical and optical properties are exactly the same as natural diamonds.

Their color is not simple dyeing. During the growing process, workers add specific elements or create lattice defects on purpose. The forming principle is basically the same as natural fancy color diamonds.

How Lab-Grown Diamonds Get Their Color (Comparison with Natural Formation)

Yellow

Lab method: Add nitrogen (N) elements during growth.

Natural cause: Also formed by nitrogen elements. Two ways are identical.

Blue

Lab method: Add boron (B) elements during growth.

Natural cause: Blue diamonds form because of boron. The principle matches fully.

Pink, Red, Purple

Lab method: Use electron irradiation and annealing after growth to create lattice distortion, also called plastic deformation. This is a widely accepted treatment.

Natural cause: Lattice distortion under pressure, same core principle.

Green

Lab method: Process with electron irradiation.

Natural cause: Long term natural radiation.

Orange

Lab method: Adjust nitrogen structure or combine with irradiation treatment.

Natural cause: Mix of nitrogen and lattice distortion.

Black

Lab method: Add large amount of graphite or other mineral inclusions.

Natural cause: Natural black diamonds also form with rich inclusions.

Lab-Grown Fancy Color Diamonds VS Natural Fancy Color Diamonds

Price

Lab-grown: Big price advantage. The cost is only a fraction or one tenth of natural ones. More people can afford bright fancy colored diamonds.

Natural: Extremely expensive. Top fancy stones cost hundreds of thousands to millions US dollars per carat.

Rarity

Lab-grown: Mass production is possible. People can make any color and size in theory. Rarity is man-controlled.

Natural: Ultra rare. Especially red, blue and pink diamonds. They are real gifts from nature.

Color Performance

Lab-grown: Rich color choices with high saturation. Labs can produce diamonds with even and deep color which you hardly find in nature.

Natural: Color depends fully on natural conditions. Every stone is unique. High saturation fancy colors are very hard to find.

Environment & Ethics

Lab-grown: Most sellers mark them as eco-friendly and conflict-free. But you need to notice the high energy use during production, especially for HPHT method.

Natural: Mining brings environmental impact. There are also ethical concerns. Though the Kimberley Process is running, arguments still exist.

Resale & Preservation Value

Lab-grown: Almost no value retention. The price will drop as technology develop. People buy them mainly for decoration and low cost.

Natural: Great collection and preservation value. Top fancy color diamonds act like hard currency. Their price keep rising in the long run.

Certificate

Lab-grown: Graded by GIA, IGI and other institutes. Certificates clearly mark “Laboratory-Grown”. It also notes if the color is post-growth treated.

Natural: Certificates mark “Natural” and record natural color origin.

The Importance of Authorized Certificates

For lab-grown fancy color diamonds, certificates are even more necessary than natural ones. Color treatment technology is very common now.

GIA (Gemological Institute of America)

It issues detailed grading reports for lab-grown fancy diamonds. The report clearly states three key points:

1. This is a laboratory-grown diamond.
2. If the color is made by post-growth treatment (applies to pink, green and similar stones).
3. Full color grading, such as Fancy Vivid Pink.

IGI (International Gemological Institute)

It is also a mainstream certificate in the market. Its content is similar to GIA reports.

Always buy lab-grown fancy color diamonds with official certificates. These documents can make sure you get the correct product and clear information.

AGS, short for American Gem Society Laboratories, is a highly authoritative diamond grading lab. It is famous all over the industry. When it comes to cut evaluation, AGS runs one of the strictest and most precise systems in the world. AGS is just as well-known as GIA, the Gemological Institute of America. Both are top trusted organizations for issuing diamond certificates. Still, they have different grading focuses and rules.

Core Features: AGS vs GIA

Cut Grade

AGS take cut as its biggest strength. It uses number grades from 0 to 9, and created the well-known “Ideal” cut standard. Its assessment goes far beyond basic proportions. It also includes detailed light performance tests, such as brightness and light leakage. GIA uses descriptive grades: Excellent, Very Good and Good. Its grading system is mature and widely accepted across the market.

Color & Clarity

AGS adopts the same D-Z color scale and FL to I3 clarity scale as GIA. Its strict level is equal to GIA. GIA sets the industry standard for color and clarity, also using D-Z color and FL-I3 clarity grades.

Cut Rating Scale

AGS use a 0-to-10 numeric scale. 0 stands for the highest Ideal grade, while 10 is the lowest. GIA only use word grades like Excellent and Very Good.

Market Popularity

AGS is highly respected among professional jewelers and high-end buyers, especially in North America. But overall, its certificates are less common than GIA. GIA is the most universal certificate worldwide. It is like hard currency in the diamond trade.

Main Focus

AGS put extreme emphasis on cut quality. It aims to pick out diamonds with perfect optical performance. GIA gives balanced grading to all four Cs. It acts as a comprehensive benchmark for the whole industry.

How to Understand AGS Cut Grades

Cut grading is the most valuable part of an AGS certificate. It does not only check diamond proportions. It focuses more on real visual and light effects. AGS has ten cut grades from 0 (Ideal) to 9 (Fair).

0 (Ideal): This is the top rank. The diamond has perfect proportions, symmetry and polish. Its light performance is outstanding. People always say AGS 0 standard is much harder to reach than GIA Excellent, especially for round brilliant diamonds. Buyers chasing top-tier cut always look for AGS 0.

1 (Excellent): It is still a great cut. Only tiny differences separate it from Grade 0.

2 & 3 (Very Good): Nice cut quality. The stone can reflect most incoming light well.

4 – 7 (Good to Fair): Average cut. You can see obvious light loss on the diamond.

8 – 9 (Poor): Bad cut. Light leaks out from the bottom or sides easily. The diamond looks dull and dim.

AGS Ideal 0 vs GIA Excellent

A diamond can get GIA Excellent and AGS 0 at the same time, but it is not always the case. AGS test more light performance factors, including brightness, fire and scintillation. Some diamonds with GIA Excellent cannot pass AGS 0 rules. AGS Ideal 0 is a higher level, like the best among top students.

Advantages and Disadvantages of AGS Certificates

Advantages

AGS has unbeatable cut evaluation. It is the best reference for people who pursue perfect light performance. Its color and clarity standards are as strict as GIA, so you can fully trust the result. As a reputable professional group, AGS certificates gain great recognition in the trade.

Disadvantages

AGS certificates are not as popular as GIA. If you plan to resell or upgrade your diamond later, it will be less easy to deal with. Diamonds with AGS 0 cut usually cost more. The top cut label makes them have a price premium compared with same 4C diamonds with GIA cert. Besides, its complex cut system mainly works for round brilliant diamonds. For fancy shapes like oval and cushion, AGS cannot show its strong points.

Buying Suggestions

If you care most about sparkle and light performance and have enough budget, AGS Ideal 0 diamond is your best pick. It means the highest guarantee for diamond cut.

For regular customers, GIA Excellent cut is already wonderful. These diamonds shine brightly and balance quality and cost well. You do not need to blindly chase AGS 0, unless you have deep knowledge and strict demands on cut.

No matter which certificate you choose, always check the laser inscription on the diamond. Make sure the number match the code on the certificate to avoid fake goods.

AGS is a professional certificate specially focused on cut. It sets a higher standard for diamond cutting. Diamonds with AGS Ideal 0 are truly top class in optical performance. For most buyers, GIA Excellent is perfect enough and much easier to circulate. Your final choice depends on what you value more: ultimate cut performance, or wide market acceptance and better value for money.