Clinton News-Record, 1987-02-18, Page 53/87
Showcase '87 Page 41
Shopping for for diamonds poses many questions
"The Moment" has arrived. You want
=to present a diamond ring to your fiance
for that special person in your life.
How do you shop for a diamond? No
two diamonds are alike — but they all
Took alike, aside from the obvious dif-
.Fferences of shapes and sizes.
1 What do you need to know to make an
eintelligent choice? How can you get the
=best value?
The list of questions goes on. Should I
surprise her or should I ask her first
,rwhat kind of diamond she wants? How do
-°I know what style suits her best?
Although some women do like to be
• ;surprised, most have a definite
{preference for the shpae of diamond they
"1_Elike best. Round diamonds are the most
popular overall, because their perfectly
i rounded proportions give the appearance
-J of increased size and brilliance. The
'?slender marquise, however, is fast
.-lbecoming another favorite. other young
Snladies have their hearts set on a pear, an
I oval, a heart or an emerald shape
diamond.
Are there any clues as to what diamond
s I shape she may want?
If she's basically a "homebody", she
t may very well prefer a round diamond.
Someone who likes keeping up with the
latest fashions and enjoys new ex-
-4 periences could easily be the type who
,1 longs for a pear shape diamond.
1-1 The square symmetry of an emerald
411 shape may appeal to her if she's an
zil
erson who loves
1 ttailored clothes, anizedrwhile the marquise dia-
.L mond is frequently the choice of someone
ii who's an extrovert and always on the go.
.z What is more important, the diamond
;f or the setting?
'j According to recent research findings
approximately 60 per cent of the first
time brides in Canada chose a diamond
solitaire. Aesthetically and practically
the diamond is most important.
t.` A diamond's beauty and brilliance will
t..
t = never diminish. In addition, it will main-
tain and increase in value over the years.
-,= But, above all, an engagement diamond
symbolizes love, belief in each other, and
the life two people will share.
Should I ask her to come with me when
I pick the ring out?
ti: R If you decide not to surprise her, the
3 . two of you should discuss looking at rings
f.'4 together for she may have strong feelings
about how the ring looks on her hand. It
might be a good idea to visit the jeweller,
or jewellers, alone first, to get an idea of
<<= how much you want to spent and to make
a few initial selections for her to
consider.
Do I tell the jeweller how much I want
to spend?
It's a good idea to look over several
styles and prices before you arrive at a
definite conclusion as to what you want to
°spend. The Diamond Information Centre
}'-srecommends that prospective purchasers
r use two months salary as a spending
' -1 guideline and choose the finest quality in
t that bracket. There is an enormous varie-
- a ty in the range of diamond qualities and
prices.
Who do I go to? How do I find a good
jeweller?
Check first with people you know who
have patronized a jeweller. An establish-
ed jeweller prizes his good reputation. He
- ii stocks diamonds of representative
r _2i, qualities and he prices them fairly, .
_- because he wants to keep on selling them
`_, to satisfied customers.
`£ There are diamonds of all sizes and -
prices, and you can discuss them quite
frankly with your jeweller. Don't be em -
=1 barassed, because he knows you are
making one of your most important pur-
chases. Find someone who understands
what you are looking for and who can
answer all your questions. It does take an
expert to identify and evaluate the fac-
tors contributing to the beauty of a
diamond.
How do I know if it is a perfect
diamond?
Because nature is rarely perfect, most
diamonds contain tiny birthmarks or
"inclusions" — small, black dots, tiny
white lines or "feathers" included by
nature in the process of crystallization. A
flawless diamond is one in which no im-
perfections are visible to a trained eye
when the stone is magnified 10 times.
Flawless gems are few in number and
they command high prices.
A diamond will always be very
beautiful, even if it does have flaws that
cannot be seen by the naked eye. In a
sense, the inclusions in a diamond are its
fingerprints, because their number, type
and location are almost never duplicated
in another diamond.
Your jeweller will show you any im-
perfections within a'diamond, and he will
explain their effect on the behavior of the
light that passes through it.
What about a guarantee or an
appraisal?
Many jewellers do have guarantees and
they will give you a refund for the
amount paid, should you want to return
the diamond or make an exchange later
on.
The most important thing to remember
is to give her a diamond she'll be hap-
piest with. You'll be sharing it for a
lifetime with someone you love.
Armstrong Flooring
Wallpaper
Richmond & Coronet Carpets
Coni -Marble Vanity Tops
KitchenAid Appliances
Benjamin Moore Paints
Hanover Kitchens and
Vanities
BAECHLER
I1itt.h1ti LA? [iiteoloo
150 SHOPPERS SQ. GODERICH 5248600'