Minor repairs are done in the premises of Carats in McAllen Texas, all others are done by our bench man. Repair services cover just about any repair imaginable. We also do custom design work, engraving and pearl re-stringing.

At time of the appraisal a complete description and value along with a color digital photograph is provided as part of this service.

This is a confusing experience for even the most experienced shopper. The first to begin with is the 4C’s. Carat, Color, Clarity, Cut. These categories can get very lengthy, so in the interest of brevity, we will list the highlights.

The 4C’s

Carat: The carat weight refers to the size of a diamond. The term comes from the natural unit of weight. That being the seed of the carob tree. In earlier times, diamonds were weighed against this seed. Being an imperfect measurement at best, the process of weighing diamonds later became standardized and is now measured as a 1-carats stone being recognized as 1/5th of a gram. One carat diamonds are broken up into 100” points”. Therefore a diamond that weighs 50 “points” is 1/2 of a carat.

Color: Color refers to the presence of foreign color in a diamond. The most valuable diamond show no color and are known as colorless. Yellow is the most common body color revealed in a diamond. This coloring of the stone is very difficult to see unless it is compared to a colorless stone. What produces this effect is a small amount of nitrogen mixes with the carbon during the diamond’s formation.The color grading scale runs from D, which is colorless all the way to Z. Most consumers prefer diamonds in the near colorless to slightly colored range. Color is not a bad thing; however, it significantly affects the price of a stone with each grade you move up or down.

Clarity: The most diamonds develop “inclusions” during their formation. The position, amount, size and number of these natural birthmarks determine clarity. The fewer the “inclusions” the rarer the diamond and thus the greater the price. Flawless and internally flawless diamonds are exceedingly rare. While inclusions do not necessarily affect the beauty of the diamond they do effect the value and the price.

Cut: When a diamond is cut to specific scientific light is reflected among the facets of the stone and is dispersed through the crown (top of the crown.) A diamond cut incorrectly allows light to “leak” out of the sides and bottom. As a result a poor cut creates a dull stone.A diamond possess high color and clarity, but incorrectly, will appear lifeless. Maximum brilliance is what most consumers desire in a diamond, and cut is a major factor in achieving that desirability.This only a basic overview of the 4C’s. Our sales associates are happy to educate you in length on the process of buying and caring for diamond jewelry to meet all your expectations.

We offer many services that most stores don’t. At Carats we gift wrap for free any purchase. Also we will ship anywhere in the Country. House and office visits for the busy executive are available, plus we can attempt to fill any special requests you may have!

Jewelry cleaner is an ammonia based product suitable for most jewelry. Soak the item for a short while then scrub with a soft brush and rinse the item in warm water.
Pearls and Silver should not be cleaned in this solution. At Carats we will clean and polish with a combination of ultrasonic cleaning along with a high pressure steam to loosen any dirt still embedded in your piece of jewelry. Best of all the service is free!

Silver should be cleaned with a soft cloth available at our store.

Pearls should be wiped with a soft cloth as well and stored in a different location away from other jewelry to avoid scratches.

Yes they can. Please stop by and talk to one of our professionals to find out more.

Pearls should be wiped off with a soft cloth after each wearing and stored separately from other jewelry to avoid scratches.

Whether you are looking for a new engagement ring or resetting your current one, we have a large selection of basic and designer settings in Platinum and 18k gold to meet all your expectations.