Most of us have grown up with jewelry whether it was something that we as children constructed from string and plastic beads, it was a best friend necklace made for plated metal, or an expensive necklace with precious stones handed down to us as a right of passage. Though most of us have jewelry, and some have fine jewelry, most do not know how about the technical terms that relays the objective value of the pieces of jewelry we own. Below are some of the terms that our jewelry buyers in La Jolla feel you should know to not only appreciate the jewelry that you own, but also to understand appraisal values when trading your diamonds or gold for cash.
Karat
A karat also written as (K), is a means to describe the amount of gold that is in a piece of jewelry. Pure gold is rarely used in jewelry, due to its soft nature. During the gold rush days, often those wishing to verify if a piece of metal was truly gold, would bite into it: If a bite mark was left the person knew that they were holding real gold. Technically speaking, a karat is a measure of purity: number of parts of gold in 24 parts alloy, measured by weight. Jewelry considered to be pure gold are 24K. Typically, jewelry is made in 18K, 14K, and 10K.
Carat
Diamonds and other gemstones are also measured by carats. However, the gold karat is a measure of purity versus the gemstone carat, a measure of weight. One carat is equal to 200 milligrams, also denoted as 0.200. A diamond considered the largest diamond in the world is The Cullinan Diamond which weighs 3,106.75 carats! Compare that to the average engagement ring size which is, in fact 1 carat.
Diamond Certification
A diamond will also be valued by its certification. A diamond certification simply confirms the authenticity of the stone and will also tell of it’s grade. Though a real diamond can be spotted a mile away by an experienced jewelry buyer, the untrained eye can be fooled by other stones such as cubic zirconia that mimic the sparkle and color of diamonds. A diamond’s grade is internationally recognized and can be divided up into four categories also known as the Four C’s: carat weight, color, clarity, and cut. Some diamonds will be large or have a large carat weight, but lack clarity or clearness. Also, though most associate the word “diamond” with a sparking clear stone, diamonds can be found naturally in multiple colors such as pink, being one of the rarest, yellow, brown, red, blue-gray, vivid blue, and green.
These are just some of the ways to objectively measure the value of fine jewelry. Stay tuned for more posts about this and other related topics on our blog!
Ready to Sell Your Jewelry?
Are your tired of the fine jewelry that you have in your jewelry box? Or is there jewelry such as an old engagement ring that you need to get out of your house. It may be time to visit our jewelry buyers in La Jolla. H. Moradi Fine Jewelers buys fine jewelry including gold, loose and set diamonds, luxury watches, and more. Get cash for your jewelry or simply make a trade. Our jewelry buyers would love to take your old jewelry off your hands. Each appraisal is backed by integrity and expert knowledge. To learn more about us visit our website, or contact us! Also, feel free to stop by one of our two locations in La Jolla! The items in your jewelry box shouldn’t be gathering dust—get something that you will love or cash today!