What is your favorite diamond shape?
My favorite diamond shape is a round brilliant cut. There is nothing like a well cut round diamond because they are so brilliant and are always in style. That’s why they are in a category by themselves and still the most popular around the world. Round diamonds still command the highest prices compared to fancy shapes. Every other shape is considered fancy.
What fancy shaped diamonds do you prefer?
The most common fancy shapes are Oval, Princess, Cushion, Marquise, Pear, Emerald, Radiant, Heart, Asscher, & Old European.
My favorites are Asscher and Princess. I like them because I like square stones with step cuts. Cut is extremely important with all fancy shapes. A well cut fancy that is pleasing to the eye and proportioned properly will be more in demand and realize a higher price. Some examples of a poor cut fancy diamond is a marquise that is too wide and short or a princess cut diamond that is rectangular rather than square.
How do you evaluate a diamond for purchase?
The first thing I do when looking at a diamond is to make sure it is physically clean. Then I view the stone in the worst possible lighting to determine brilliance. I do this because most of the time your diamond is not in ideal lighting conditions. The next thing is grading the color, clarity and cut under proper lighting. This is where all the technical stuff comes in like crown angles, fluorescence, mm size, and other mathematical factors to determine the value of a diamond.
I also take measurements, look for inclusions, compare to other diamonds for color, and determine weight. Sometimes if a diamond is not cut properly, we calculate how much we would lose (weight wise) if we were to recut the diamond to ideal proportions. If the diamond already has a certificate I make sure it matches the diamond or has a laser inscription. Once that is complete, I am able to figure a purchase price and make an offer.
Allan is based in our Tysons Corner office in Northern Virginia and is open by appointment. Please schedule an appointment to have your diamond jewelry evaluated!
