Antique diamond earrings can have a classic and special look and feel to them. Perhaps you have been inspired by the jewellery passed down through your family or have seen something in a classic film. In this article, I will give you some advice about buying antique diamond earrings online.
Antique jewelery is defined as anything that is over 100 years old. This is in contrast to vintage jewellery which is typically made between 1940 and 1980. You will often find diamonds in jewellery that was made in the Georgain ear (1714-1837) and designs from this time were handmade and often inspired by nature and animals like birds. The Edwardian (1901-1910) era also featured diamonds as well as many other precious stones.
When buying antique diamond earrings online you need to make sure you know the real from the fake. The best way to achieve this is to read up on antique jewellery at your local library or on the many dedicated websites on the internet. Legitimate antique jewelery will have various marks that signify the maker and era. Also, if you are buying through a professional antique dealer there should be a certificate or some sort of official documentation of the earrings’ history.
As with anything on the internet, you should buy from a trust worthy seller. In order to determine this you need to check out the credentials of the seller. This will require you do a little research.
For the diamonds themselves, you need to make sure that they are not only authentic but they are as valuable as they are being advertised. You should look for an official valuation from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or the America Gem Society Laboratories (AGSL). This will give you the peace of mind that the diamonds set in the earrings as valuable as the seller is claiming.
When you receive the report there will be a number of gradings. The cut of the diamond determines how much it will sparkle and the better the stone is cut the more bright it will be. Color gradings actually refer to the lack of color. The clearer the diamond the more it will sparkle. The clarity of the stone measures how many imperfections that the diamond has that is visible under the microscope. A higher clarity grading means that the diamond has minor or nil imperfection. A diamond’s carat measures how much the diamond way and typically, the larger the diamond the more carats (or weight) it will have.