Diamonds are beautiful and desired for their brilliance, sparkle and message of love. Let the diamond chose you or our small personal staff, with it's 50 years of experience will help you decide. We buy quality, certified diamonds at the best price and pass this excellence and value on to you. We are an experienced, established and trustworthy source to ensure you that you are receiving the, unquestionably, best certified diamond for the best possible price.

Buying diamonds, Twin City Gold has the expertise to help you evaluate the 4 C's of each stone:

Cut is the primary factor in a diamonds brilliance.
Clarity refers to number, size and type of imperfections.
Color detracts from it's brilliance; so less is best.
Carat measures the diamonds weight.

Color Grading:

D, E & F are considered colorless.
G, H, I and J are near colorless.
K, L and M have a faint yellow tint.
N, O, P, Q and R have a very light yellow tint.
S, T, U, V, W, X, Y and Z are light yellow.

GIA Clarity Grading Scale:

Flawless: The diamond shows no inclusions (clouds, included crystals, knots, cavities and feathers) or blemishes of any sort under 10x magnification when observed by an experienced grader.

IF: Internally flawless. The diamond has no inclusions using 10x magnification but will have some minor blemishes.

VVS1, VVS2: Very, very slightly included. The diamond contains minute inclusions that are difficult even for experienced graders to see under 10x magnification.

VS1, VS2: Very slightly included. The diamond contains minute inclusions such as small crystals, clouds or feathers when observed with effort under 10x magnification.

SI1, SI2: Slightly included. The diamond contains inclusions that are noticeable under 10x magnification.

I1, I2, I3: Included. The diamond contains inclusions that are obvious under 10x magnification and may affect transparency and brilliance.

Flawless diamonds are extremely rare but Twin City Gold and The Maine Diamond Exchange can truly offer you an opportunity to buy a beautiful diamond at a great price.

Understanding Carat Weight:

A diamond’s weight is measured in what is known as a ‘carat’, which is a small unit of measurement equal to 200 milligrams. Carat is not a measure of a diamond’s size, since cutting a diamond to different proportions can affect its weight. (The word ‘Karat’ is used to express the purity of gold, and is not used in relation to diamonds.) Here is a diagram that shows the relative size of various carat weights in a diamond that is cut to the same proportions:

Carat Fractions and Their Decimal Equivalents:
Fraction Decimal Equivalent
1/10 = .09 - .11
1/8 = .12 - .13
1/7 = .14 - .15
1/6 = .16 - .17
1/5 = .18 - .22
1/4 = .23 - .28
1/3 = .29 - .36
3/8 = .37 - .44
1/2 = .45 - .58
5/8 = .59 - .68
3/4 = .69 - .82
7/8 = .83 - .94
1.0 =
.95 - 1.05
Remember, all diamonds are not created equal. Two diamonds of equal Carat Weight may vary substantially in price due to their Cut, Color and Clarity. Also, a diamond's weight can be 'hidden' in different parts of the stone. For example, you can have a well-cut diamond, whose weight is distributed properly, a diamond that is cut too shallow to make it wider and heavier, but not the most brilliant, or one that is cut too deeply, to add weight to the bottom of the stone - again compromising its ability to radiate maximum brilliance.