International Diamond Center
Phone: (727) 572-6323
3696 Ulmerton Rd., Clearwater FL

Your Diamond Specialists!

Our missions is To Be The Leading Jeweler Serving The Wants, Needs, And Desires Of Diamond Customers With Quality, Value, And Integrity.

All IDC’s sale associates are Certified Diamontologists trained by the Diamond Council of America and most of them carry other credentials in gemology and specific diamond training earned through courses offered by well recognized educational associations.

Knowing that buying a diamond can be confusing; IDC’s sales associates take the time to explain to you what makes one diamond worth more than another and help you make an intelligent decision, formed by facts, mixed with a little bit of emotion in a casual, friendly and fun atmosphere.

The IDC showrooms has an extensive and competitive Diamond Bridal Department, where a selection of hundreds of Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and European Gemological Laboratory (EGL) graded loose diamonds can be instantly paired with a platinum, yellow gold or white gold setting to create the perfect union of diamond and mounting.

International Diamond Center
Phone: (727) 572-6323 | Website
3696 Ulmerton Road, Clearwater, FL 33762

International Diamond Center Clearwater FL Location Map

Diamond Color

The color of a diamond has the second biggest impact on the price, after carat weight. Did you know that diamonds come in pink, yellow, blue, green and red as well as white?

When discussing the topic of color in diamonds, you need to differentiate between “colorless” diamonds and “fancy color” diamonds.

Grading “colorless” diamonds involves deciding how closely a stone’s body color approaches colorlessness. Most diamonds have at least a trace of yellow or brown body color. The reason colorlessness is most highly valued is that diamonds in these ranges act like prisms, separating white light passing through it into a wide spectrum of colors. The more transparent the diamond, the wider the spectrum of colors. Chemical “impurities” (such as nitrogen boron) in the diamond will filter out some of the colors which in turn reduce the “fire” effect when light bounces back out of the diamond and into your eyes. Other than “fancy colors”, colorless diamonds tend to be more valuable. Rare colors such as blue, pink, purple, or red tend to be very expensive…and very beautiful.

If a diamond does not have enough color to be called fancy, then it is graded in a scale of colors ranging from Colorless to Light Yellow, “D” through “Z”. A diamond with a “D” color is considered to be colorless. If the color is more intense than “Z”, it is considered fancy. A fancy yellow diamond fetches a higher price than a light yellow diamond.

Most solitaire diamonds are graded "loose" which means umounted. They are examined by trained professionals to differentiate diamonds with the smallest traces of color. Once a diamond is mounted on a ring, even the trained professional cannot always tell the difference between, say a “D” color and an “E” or “F” color diamond!

Common Diamond Buying Mistakes

BUYING A DIAMOND WITHOUT AN IMPARTIAL INDEPENDENT GRADING REPORT.

Some jewelers, who grade their own diamonds, consistently over-grade the quality of their diamonds. In too many cases, what may seem to be a bargain, is actually over-priced. Subtle differences in quality can mean a tremendous difference in value. Wherever you buy your diamond insist on certification by an independent laboratory. The grading report shows you all of the characteristics, measurements, and disclosure of any treatments which enhance the appearance. You should also get a mapping or “plotting” of the diamond to show its internal characteristics. DON’T BUY ANY DIAMOND FROM ANY-ONE WITHOUT GETTING AN INDEPENDENT IMPARTIAL LABORATORY GRADING REPORT.

WEARING A DIAMOND THAT IS NOT INSURED.

Diamonds, even though they are the hardest substance known to man, can chip or crack in normal use. A sudden blow can chip or crack a diamond. Your diamond should be insured against loss, theft, mysterious disappearance and breakage. Many homeowners insurance policies do not offer this coverage. Ask your insurance agent if the policy that they are offering owners all of these possibilities.

BUYING A DIAMOND BASED ON ITS “PERFECTION” ONLY.

It’s important to choose a diamond that “makessense”based on what you can see with your naked eye and what you can afford to spend. A diamond’s value is determined by its rarity. Color, cut, clarity and carat weight are the rarity factors. The highest grades in each of these categories are the most rare and valuable and, of course, larger and higher carat weights demand much higher prices. Your jeweler will give you expert guidance in how to make an intelligent choice and select a diamond based on its beauty, brilliance, quality and affordability.

CHOOSING A DIAMOND BASED ON ITS QUALITY GRADES ALONG WITHOUT CONSIDERING THE WAY THE DIAMOND HAS BEEN CUT AND POLISHED.

You can choose a diamond with high quality grades, but if it has been cut and polished improperly, it could be as dull and lifeless as apiece of glass. A diamond that doesn’t sparkle is a bad choice. Your jeweler will show you how to choose a diamond that will catch the light and release its fire in a blaze of dazzling colors.

BUYING A DIAMOND FROM A JEWELER WHO DOESN’T TAKE THE TIME OR HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE TO EXPLAIN AND SHOW YOU WHAT YOU HAVE TO KNOW ABOUT MAKING AN INTELLIGENT CHOICE.

Be sure to select a store where the employees are well versed and trained in Diamontology. The proper qualifications have titles: Graduate Gemologist, Certified Diamontologist and Registered Jeweler are some of the titles that show a certain level of achievement in the study of Diamontology.

BUYING YOUR DIAMOND FROM A JEWELER WHO DOESN’T CLEARLY SHOW YOU THE DIAMOND UNDER THE PROPER CONDITIONS.

To enable you to clearly see subtle differences in a diamond’s color, cut and clarity you must be able to see it magnified ten times. A small magnifying glass is very difficult for the average person to use. Jewelers have stereoscopic micro-scopes that they use to look at diamonds. Insist that the jeweler shows you your selection under his stereoscopic microscope. He should “plot”all of the tiny inclusions or markings hidden inside the diamond. The microscope also makes the body color much more visible and it’s easier to see whether or not the diamond has been properly proportioned. The jeweler should also permanently, positively register and identify the diamond using “plotting” or “meas-uring”and in some cases a gem print machine, which takes a photograph of the reflections of the diamond’s facet structure.

BUYING YOUR DIAMOND FROM A JEWELER WHO DOESN’T GIVE YOU A WRITTEN SERVICE WARRANTY ALONG WITH A CLEAR WRITTEN GUARANTEE OF QUALITY.

Many jewelers supply you with a “pretty piece of paper” that looks like a written warranty. However, read it carefully! Be sure it contains a clear refund policy. Be sure it tells you exactly what services will be offered free of charge in the future. Read the appraisal carefully and make sure that it contains all of the proper details as to the quality of the diamond that you have purchased.

THINKING YOU ARE GETTING AN UNBELIEVABLE BARGAIN

Many people shopping for a diamond in several stores come up with the store that is offering them an “unbelievable bargain.” Diamonds have a very clear cut market value at the wholesale level. No jeweler will ever knowingly sell a diamond below that established level. In most cases you’d just be getting a “cheaper” diamond at a lower price. And that’s not a bargain!

GETTING A DIAMOND OF LARGER SIZE AND LOW QUALITY BECAUSE YOU CAN’T AFFORD A BETTER ONE.

Your jeweler will help you establish an easy payment plan to help you stretch your budget to afford a better diamond. You should consider spending about 21/2times your monthly salary. Remember, a diamond engagement ring is a symbol of love. She’ll have it for the rest of her life and may even pass it along to your children and grandchildren. That’s why quality is important when choosing your diamond. A simple, easy payment plan can make your job of selecting the right diamond much easier.

BUYING YOUR ENGAGEMENT RING FROM A STORE THAT DOESN’T SPECIALIZE.

All jewelry stores sell diamond engagement rings. However, you will get the best choices by shopping in stores that specialize in diamonds, especially diamond engagement rings and wed-ding bands. You might have to shop ten or twelve conventional jewelers just to see the selection that a specialist can show you.