| Before selecting a diamond, it is important to | | | | through the back of the stone, and such a |
| understand the manner in which diamonds are | | | | diamond will not have the brilliance of a stone with |
| evaluated or graded. When a diamond is ready for | | | | thicker cut. |
| sale, it is graded graded for certification by expert | | | | The clarity of a diamond refers to the presence |
| laboratories using several criteria. For anyone | | | | or absense of inner flaws, also known as |
| considering buying a diamond, four of these | | | | inclusions. The greater the number and size of |
| criteria are especially important to understand. | | | | these inclusions, the lower the clarity grading will |
| Known as the Four C's, these criteria are color, | | | | be. Clear diamonds, i.e., diamonds that have a high |
| cut, clarity and carat. he we will look at each of | | | | clarity rating, create more brilliance and therefore |
| these criteria to get a better understanding for | | | | are rarer and much more highly priced. To be |
| how these are evaluated. | | | | considered flawless, a diamond must have no |
| Color is a fundamental unchanging property of the | | | | surface or internal imperfections visible upon being |
| diamond. The color is the result of the | | | | viewed by a skilled diamond grader using 10 |
| composition of the diamond and refers to the | | | | power magnifications. |
| presence or absence of color in white diamonds. | | | | The unit of weight by which diamonds are |
| Color in a diamond is generally an undesirable | | | | measured is called a carat. A one carat diamond |
| quality because the less color a diamond has, the | | | | has a weight (or mass) equal to 200 milligrams. A |
| more sparkle it has due to the fact that colorless | | | | point is a smaller unit of measure for weight such |
| diamonds allow maximum light to pass through. | | | | that 100 points equals one carat. This unit of |
| Cut refers to the reflective quality of a diamond. | | | | measure allows for a more precise measurement |
| This reflective quality is enhanced by the way in | | | | of the size of a stone, so that for example a |
| which the diamond is cut into a solid with (usually) | | | | stone with weight of 250 points would be two |
| 58 sides or facets. A skilled and expert cut will | | | | and one half carats. |
| greatly enhance the natural shine or brilliance of a | | | | These four criteria will be the ones most |
| diamond. This brilliance comes from the presence | | | | important for determining the cost of the |
| of the sharp angles between the different facets | | | | diamond. But only you can decide which factors |
| of the diamond, and also from the finish of the | | | | are more important to you. Many people want |
| diamond. When examining the cut of a diamond, | | | | only a large diamond and are willing to sacrifice cut |
| expert gemologists will also determine whether | | | | and clarity to get it. For others, clarity and cut will |
| there are any cutting faults present in any of the | | | | be the most important. So the best advice is to |
| facets. These faults can have a direct impact on | | | | shop around, ask lots of questions, and pick the |
| both the durability and the visual beauty of the | | | | diamond that appeals most to you that is also |
| stone. Finally, the thickness of the cut is very | | | | within a budget that you can afford. |
| important in that a thin cut will allow light to shine | | | | |