Diamond Necklaces: How to Buy a Real Diamond Chain

There are so many different styles and chains to choose from when it comes to diamond necklaces. It can be overwhelming to figure out which is right for you. In this blog post, we'll break down the different types of diamond chains available, and teach you how to buy a real diamond chain that will last a lifetime. Let's get started!

Diamond Chain Necklace Styles

This year the gold chain is probably the most popular jewelry piece with no rivals, but it gets more intricate and luxurious by the day. 

Among those chain necklaces, several items go particularly well with diamonds. Their patterns compliment the diamonds' beauty, emphasize the stones' high status and create the best combinations of metal and gems are capable of.

Cuban Chains

One of such necklaces is the Cuban link chain. It seems it’s been created for the single purpose of demonstrating status and wealth. A Cuban chain’s pattern of twisted flat oval links gives the necklace a massive look that is perfect for statement jewelry. But diamonds make it the unbeatable icon among the iced-out chains.

Though it was created in the 70s, diamond Cuban link chains are once again on top of their popularity and ready to spice every modern look with their distinctive brilliance.

As a counterweight to a bulky Cuban chain, here's a delicate alternative.

Eternity Necklaces

A tennis necklace, or as it is also called an Eternity necklace, is ready to add sophisticated charm and grace to your image. This necklace came to mainstream fashion thanks to the bracelet of this style, which in its turn has a rather amusing story.

A strand of diamonds fell from the wrist of a famous tennis player Chris Evert during one of the US Open 1987 matches. She refused to continue until the jewelry was found. Since then a simple style of a line of diamonds has been called the Tennis bracelet.

If a bracelet can gain such popularity, why not create a similar necklace? And it still works, as a piece of practical jewelry, that can elevate any outfit. The simple perfection of nothing extra, just an effortless beauty of the diamonds.

Gucci Chains

The Mariner or Gucci chain provides a lot of room for experiments with diamonds. Its wide oval links with the vertical bar inside inspire jewelry designers for bold combinations of fancy diamond colors, resulting in absolutely stunning jewelry artwork.

The pattern of a Gucci chain gives off the vibes of extravagant glamour and fancy chic, making a perfect frame for diamonds of all color spectrums. 

Diamond Quality Guide

Those stylish diamond necklaces are a great purchase, but before heading to the shop, you need to know a bit more than just the style of a chain. To buy real diamond chains some more information is required, as the value of those stones is defined on a very strict basis that’ll be handy to know.

First, to buy a real diamond chain, you should be aware that the stone is classified according to the 4C standard: clarity, color, cut, and carat weight.

Diamond Clarity

The clarity of the diamond influences its quality and, therefore, the price. When buying a diamond chain, ask about the clarity degree of the stones.

Here’s the scale for you:

• FL, IF – The diamonds with no imperfections visible under 10x magnification. 
• VVS1, VVS2 – imperfections are present in the gem, but they are only slightly visible under 10x magnification.
• VS1, VS2 – The inclusions can be seen under 10x magnification but are still minor.
• SI1, SI2 – Under 10x magnification, the inclusions are visible, but to the unaided eye, they are almost unseen.
• I1, I2, I3 – the inclusions in the diamond can affect the brilliance and transparency.

Asking about the clarity of the diamonds in the chain will help you understand the quality of the stones used in the jewelry and will send the message to the seller that it’ll be hard to fool you if they had such an intention.

Diamond Color

The next scale is related to the color of the diamond.

The gradation goes from D to Z. D is the colorless diamond and the most valuable on the list. Z has a light yellow or brown, very noticeable tint. Spotting the difference among the other letters of the diamond shades is rather tricky without special devices or an expert.

You may notice the tint in the diamond at approximately the N marker. Others may seem colorless to the unaided eye and thus become the target for the substitution in price.  

The exception to this gradation is the diamonds of fancy colors. The stones of red, black, green, or blue colors are rarer than just the colorless diamonds, hence, they’re more expensive.

Diamond Cut

For centuries jewelers have been searching for the best way to cut diamonds. They’ve invented a number of unique diamond cuts that are remarkable, each in its own way. The main point of the cut is to reach the best interaction of the diamond’s facets with the light.

Right now, the round brilliant diamond cut is considered the most famous and expensive. Other popular diamond cuts are the princess cut, cushion cut, pear-shaped, and Asscher. Some of them are valued for the look, others for the possibility to preserve more of the uncut diamond, but they all require the incredible skill of the jeweler.

Diamond Carat Weight

The last thing, and probably the most popular about those gems, you need to take into consideration choosing a diamond chain is the carat weight. One carat of the diamond equals 200 milligrams. But there are two ways to count the carat weight in the diamond chain.

First is the total carat weight, which means the weight of all the diamonds in the jewelry piece. And there’s also the individual carat weight, which denotes the weight of a single stone. So pay attention to the wording!

As to this point, we were talking about real diamonds of different quality, shapes, or sizes. 

How to Know if a Diamond Chain Necklace is Real?

There are several tests you can perform at home, but they won’t guarantee the 100% of the authenticity of your gems.

• Try to scratch the mirror with the diamond. If it leaves a mark, then it could be genuine, as the diamonds are very strong. But other stones that look alike may also leave scratches, so the test isn’t very reliable.
• Try to breathe on the stone. If it stays fogged under 3 seconds, it may be real, if longer, it’s most likely a fake. But then again, it isn’t a method to blindly trust.
• It’s hard to do with the chain attached to the diamonds, but the test exists, and it is simple, so… Put the diamond in the glass of water. If it sinks, it may be real, but if it floats, it is most definitely a counterfeit. Other stones that may be used instead of a diamond will probably sink as well. 

Of course, the surest way to tell whether the diamonds are real is to consult a jewelry expert you trust or choose the store that provides a grading certificate and warranty and is known to be reliable and trustworthy. Don’t haste to buy cheap diamonds. Better pay more but be sure you’re getting the real deal.

Have you ever owned a diamond chain necklace before?