The diamond is incomparable in the hierarchy of gems. Its elegance has been revered since its discovery.

Whether you have experienced buying diamonds for engagement rings before or not, you may be unsure as to why one is worth $3000 while another one is only worth $300. What goes into determining the price of a diamond?

Diamonds are graded based on 4 criteria. The first of these is referred to as the carat, which is a measurement of the weight. The more carats the more expensive a diamond becomes. Size is not the only factor that matters however, remember: it is what is on the inside that counts.

Carat size may push the price up, but only slightly if there is no clarity. Several facets determine clarity on both an internal and external basis. Internal aspects, dubbed inclusions, and external aspects, dubbed blemishes, all contribute to the overall clarity score.

The clarity of a diamond can vary from ‘pure’ to heavily included. This designation is arrived at after anaylyzing the how many inclusions are found as well where the inclusions are located, whether they are tinted, and how large they are.

Therefore the more severely included a diamond is with crystals, feathers, or other types of internal and external flaws, the lower its value. These deformities are due to the cooling process of the diamonds against other materials. Clarity is highly prized, especially in larger carat diamonds where the imperfections are more detectable.

Another important factor when evaluating the worth of a diamond is color. If certain gases were present beneath the earth when the diamond was forming, it may have taken on a distinct color.

Diamonds range in color from a designation of “D” to “Z”, with “D” being no color at all, and “Z” being a diamond with a color that is deep enough to be very noticeable to the human eye.

Cut is the final factor in diamond grading. This is an often forgotten element of diamonds, but it is extremely important, as it gives this remarkable stone its ability to come alive.

“Fire” is the ability to flash and flicker upon sight. Cut varies from “excellent,” followed by “good,” “average,” “commercial,” and then irregular. If the diamond is not dazzling, the cut is most likely very poor.

So there you have it, the 4 C’s of choosing a diamond: carat, clarity, color and cut. Understanding these basic concepts before you enter a diamond store will go a long way towards making an astute purchase decision.

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There are ten different diamond shapes which are common. Each cut has its own different qualities. This article will give you a short rundown on the properties of each of these ten most common diamond shapes.

The round cut is the most popular. If you’re looking for an easy choice, the round cut may be right for you. Traditionalists everywhere view the round cut in their head immediately, when they think of diamond shapes.

For something a little different, you can try the princess cut. This is the second most popular shape of diamond cuts. If it is expertly cut, a princess cut diamond can be breathtaking. Some jewelers, however, lack the skill for this cut - so if you want a princess cut, make sure to buy from a jeweler with an excellent reputation.

Another popular cut is the oval cut, which is common in engagement rings. This is a classic cut, much as is the round cut. This is a cut which has a lot of style and works in a variety of different settings, giving it the versatility to fit into any style of ring.

One of the very most elegant cuts is the marquise cut. This is an elongated shaped cut which makes the diamond appear larger than its actual size and as such is typically used on smaller diamonds. The name of this cut comes from the fact that they were and still are popular with royalty.

The pear shaped cut is similar to both the oval and the marquise cuts, featuring the best that each of these cuts have to offer - truly a winning combination.

The step cut, which is more commonly known as the emerald cut, is a good choice if you’re looking for a starter diamond. While it is pretty, it doesn’t have as many facets as some of the other cuts. So, it’s easy to see imperfections in the gem.

The asscher cut is more of an art deco style. It’s usually used for other gems. Although it is a less common cut for diamonds, it is slowly becoming more popular. If you’re looking for a fairly unique diamond cut, it may be right for you.

Speaking of unique cuts, nothing is quite equal to a brilliant, perfectly cut, heart shaped diamond. The only problem is that they can be very difficult to cut. So, it is rare to find a flawless or perfect heart shaped cut. The time and expense involved in finding one can be well worth it, though.

The radiant cut is a fairly traditional choice, which has lost a bit of popularity, in recent years, but certainly not lost any of its brilliance and luster. It is similar to an emerald cut. However, a radiant cut diamond has more facets, adding much more vibrancy to it.

Last, but most definitely not least is the cushion cut. These cuts are similar to the marquise cut in that they can make even a relatively small gem appear much larger. You can make a marvel of a small diamond with this elegant cut.

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In point of fact, in Western cultures the engagement ring finger will just about all of the time be the fourth finger on a person’s left hand for it has forever been a tradition for this finger to hold both the wedding and engagement ring. However, there may still be many young lovers who are still questioning incisively which finger makes for the best engagement ring finger and the option at large normally concentrates to the fourth finger on their left hand which is very convenient and therefore is almost often picked out to hold the engagement ring.

Love, Devotion and Surrender

The importance of the engagement ring finger means that if an outsider sights additional sporting a ring on the engagement ring finger, then that person is not available for love. It’s significant dwells on its power to express to the partner a dedication of undying love, devotion and surrender.

In addition, the fourth finger on a person’s left finger is supposed to be one in which veins connect straight to the person’s heart and thus both tradition and etiquette require that this finger be chosen for holding the engagement ring.

However, the fourth finger is usually considered the engagement ring finger mostly in countries such as the United Kingdom and also in the United States. In other countries including France, Spain and Germany the engagement ring finger is generally one of the fingers (fourth) on the right hand. It has always been an ancient custom in these European countries where the left hand was meant to signify negativity while the right hand is associated with positivity and thus the engagement ring finger in European countries is the finger of choice on the right hand.

As a matter of fact, the special hand selected to hold the engagement ring is also depending on several religions such as for Jewish couples, the custom is to wear the engagement ring on the left hand that is their engagement ring finger particularly after the wedding has been solemnized, while in the Greek Orthodox Church, the tradition is to utilize the right hand.

You must then determine how to discover a ring of the right size for this finger, this comes when you are for sure about which finger, on which hand is to serve as the engagement ring finger, as you call in at a jeweler you will discover that they have a ring size chart too as have tools with which decide the right size of the engagement ring. If you have no idea what the size going to be, you should pick out the size that is on the bigger size instead of on the small size as it is a larger ring can easily be resized than do anything about a small ring.

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There is something about diamonds which is very alluring. With the boom in the economy in the last few years, the buying of diamonds is on the rise. Loose diamonds are no longer the unattainable dream?. Just look around and you will be pleasantly surprised to find out almost everyone you know owns some sort of diamond jewellery.

Like any industry, the diamond jewellery industry has its fare share of con artists and scammers. In this world of advanced technology it is almost impossible to simply look at a diamond and determine whether it is real or not ? especially if you don?t know much about diamonds. There are some steps that you can take to make sure buying diamonds ends up a joy instead of a nightmare.

1.Reputation First, only deal with reputable jewellers and when you find one, stick with them. It is exactly like choosing your GP or dentist. You have to be comfortable with the seller. When they build trust, then you know you are parting with your hard earned cash to a genuine person. Also, when you like a loose diamond stone or a piece of jewellery like a diamond ring, ask for certification. If no certificate exists, do not walk but run out of the store (do not take this literally!!). What I am trying to convey is that with no certification, there is no way to verify the type of diamond you are buying. Any good jeweller will provide certification.

2. Certification Notice when you go to the dentist or your GP. Notice how their certificates are up on the wall. It makes you comfortable that you are in good hands. The same principal applies with buying diamonds. These days with a little research you should be asking for GIA diamonds. These diamonds are certified by the Gemological Institute Of America (GIA). Through testing and research, they have a way to grade diamonds. There were the first to introduce the 4C?s. (Cut, Clarity, Colour, Carat).

3. Look You have zeroed in on a diamond ring or diamond necklace, take a close look at the setting that the stone is in. Look at the setting that the stone is in. Fake diamonds such as zirconium are usually set in low quality metals. Take a close look at the stone. Fake diamonds are not durable. Look for scratches and nicks.

4. Appraisal After purchasing a diamond, take it to another jeweller for appraisal. In fact, take it to two or three other jewellers for an appraisal to make sure that the appraisals are all fairly close. If you find that you have purchased a fake diamond, you may be accused of making a switch when you return to the store of your purchase. That is why it is of upmost importance to ask for a certificate.

5. Carat Scam Diamonds are such that unless you know a little about them, you could be easily fooled. One way is the carat scam. This happens with diamond rings. You look at the tag and it has the Carat Total Weight of all the diamond pieces. This is not right as the total weights for each diamond should be made available on the tag. This leads consumers to believe that the main diamond in the piece is actually bigger than it actually is. Be informed and ask the seller what the total carat weight of the centre piece is.

6. Fractions Beware of fractions. Depending on the jewellery stores, they are allowed to round off the diamond weights. For example, if you like a diamond and ask for its weight, the jeweller may tell you that it is a ? carat diamond. This means that the diamond is between ? a carat and ? carat. It may seem like nothing but the price range can be tremendous.

7. Lighting, Lighting How many times have you entered a diamond jewellery shop and were almost blinded by the lighting ion the store. Store owners love to show their diamonds in bright lights. Light makes the diamond shine and sparkle. Ask the seller to show you the diamond in a different type of lighting. Sometimes, you can bring the diamond jewellery out of the store (do not be surprised if 2 or 3 sales assistants follow you out). You may be surprised how dull or bright the diamond actually looks.

8. Beware of dodgy appraisers! It is hard to believe but there are some jewellery appraisers who will appraise your loose diamond or diamond jewellery for free.try to tell you that the diamond is worthless or worth less than it is actually worth! What they are attempting to do is take the diamond off your hands or in some instances; they will want to sell you a diamond of higher value. They will ask that you make up the difference with cash. The best way out of this is to have your jewellery items appraised at one or two more places to make sure you are receiving accurate information.

At the end of the day, I cannot stress enough the importance of choosing a good jeweller and once you have found them, stick to them. It may take time but it is a small price to pay for eventually owning a piece of outstanding diamond jewellery which will last you a lifetime. As they say, diamonds are forever and you can keep buying diamonds with the confidence that you are getting what you paid for.

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