Diamonds

The Peninsula's First Choice

Few purchases in life are as meaningful as the purchase of a diamond. At Gleim the Jeweler, we know that when you buy a diamond, you're not just buying a piece of merchandise. You're buying a memory, a symbol of your love, a treasure to be cherished for a lifetime.

At Gleim's, we also realize that it's not easy to shop for a diamond. There are strange, new terms to learn and complicated grading systems to understand. Since most people only buy diamonds a few times in their lives, they have little experience to call upon. That's why it's so important to choose a jeweler you can trust, who understands the significance of the purchase, and will offer you real, honest value for your money.

Gleim's has been selling diamonds to Peninsula families for over 60 years. We take the time to educate our customers, answer all their questions, and explain the factors that determine value. Every diamond we sell is accurately graded, properly represented, and fairly priced, and we stand behind what we sell.

We have a large selection of diamonds in different price ranges, including gems with excellent color and cut to the ideal proportions for maximum fire and brilliance. Our collection is available in a wide variety of classic and contemporary settings, including 14 and 18-karat gold and platinum, as well as custom designs created by our own goldsmiths. All are priced very competitively to ensure you the greatest value for your investment.

Purchasing a Diamond

At Gleim's, we believe the entire process of buying a diamond should be a special occasion. That's why, from the moment you walk in the door, we work very hard to make you feel comfortable and to ensure that you select a diamond you're completely happy with and proud to own.

Diamonds are the rarest, hardest, most valuable gems in the world. No other gem is as able to maintain its beauty and remain as unmarked by a lifetime of wear. A diamond must be properly graded, represented, and priced to be worthy of purchase.

The Four C's

Cut

The cut is the only factor that can be controlled by human hands. The qualities of a diamond in the rough can be brought out by the work of an expert diamond cutter, whose artistry unlocks the gem's brilliance and lets it sparkle.

The beauty of a cut diamond lies in its ability to refract light and disperse color. The "ideal cut" diamond describes a round brilliant diamond that has been cut to precise proportions calculated to produce the maximum fire and symmetry. It is a very rare diamond that adheres to these rigorous standards.

Color

With diamonds, even the smallest variation in color can make a big difference. Generally, the closer a diamond comes to being absolutely colorless, the more valuable it is.

The presence of color ranges from barely discernible - in the rarer, near colorless diamonds - to varying tinges of light yellow and brown.

Clarity

Almost all diamonds contain naturally-occurring marks called inclusions. The size, nature, location, and number of inclusions determine a diamond's clarity grade and affect its value.

Two tools are used for judging a diamond's clarity: magnification under a gem microscope and the trained human eye.

Carat Weight

Diamond weight is measured in carats. There are 142 carats to an ounce. A carat can be divided into 100 equal parts called points, so a 50-point diamond is one-half of a carat. Because large diamonds are very rare, value increases geometrically in proportion to weight. Therefore a diamond that is twice the size of another of similar quality will be worth four to five times as much.

It's important to remember that weight isn't everything. The value of two diamonds of the same weight can vary greatly depending on the color, clarity, and cut. Customers who are flexible in terms of size may get a more pleasing diamond.

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