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The Diamond 

A Guide To Buying
An Engagement Ring
Diamonds ARE forever. Long after the flowers have wilted and the music is only a memory your engagement ring will still be with you.  The diamond you buy will be a part of your life every single day as a reminder or you love and commitment.  But for most people, choosing a diamond ring is even a more difficult decision than deciding to get married.  Whether you choose to walk amongst the sea of store fronts in the downtown jewelry mart or at your local mall, with the right education you can be confident that your purchase will be a sound one.

The 4 C's:  Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat weight.

Cut
Diamonds are cut into a number of shapes, depending on the nature of the rough stone. The cut or make of a diamond will dramatically influence its fire and sparkle, for it is the cutter's skill that releases it beauty.

It is the cut that enables a diamond to make the best use of light.  When a diamond is cut to good proportions, light is reflected from one facet to another and then dispersed through the top of the stone or bottom.  If the cut of the diamond is too deep, some light escapes through the opposite side of the pavilion.  If the cut is too shallow, light escapes through the pavilion before it can be reflected.  The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) classifies cut as Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor.

People often confuse cut with the shape of a diamond. The shape is primarily a matter of personal preference and is only limited by the skill and imagination of the craftsman.

Clarity
Clarity refers to the presence or absence of internal flaws, called "inclusions," that occur naturally in the diamond, and to blemishes on the surface, such as scratches or chips.  Since these markings interfere with the passage of light through the diamond they can affect the beauty and the price.  The GIA Clarity Scale grades flaws as:

Flawless Internally Flawless Very, very slight inclusions Imperfect
FL IF VVS1, VVS2 I1, I2, I3
No flaws at all Has minor surface blemishes Very small inclusions that are difficult to see at 10 times magnification Inclusions are easily visible to the naked eye

Color
The color of a diamond refers to how yellow it is.  Simply stated, the less color a diamond has, the more valuable it is because it reflects the most light.  The GIA grades color alphabetically from D (totally colorless) to Z (yellow).  Although the majority of diamonds appear to be colorless, others can contain tinges of yellow or brown, some of which are referred to as champagne diamonds.  Grades G & H are considered white and are very desirable.  Diamonds will start to appear yellow if the color grade is lower than J.

Diamonds can actually be found in virtually any color, and the very rare stones - shades of green, red, blue, pink or amber - are commonly known as "fancies."

Carat Weight
Size is the most obvious factor in determining the value of a diamond.  A diamond size measured by its weight, in units called carats.  One carat equals 200 milligrams.  One carat is divided into 100 "points" so that a diamond of 25 points is described as a quarter of a carat or 0.25 carats.

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