Article - Find your Diamond

How do you choose that breathtaking diamond whose brilliance will reflect the enduring bond of love it represents? First you must understand what makes one diamond more valuable than another. A diamond's worth is determined using the 4 C's of diamond selection which are Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat.


Cut
The cut is what really gives the diamond its brilliance or luster. It is not only the shape, but also its number of facets, proportions, polish and symmetry. The most popular diamond cuts are: round, princess, marquise pear, emerald and oval. However, other fancy cuts are available.



Color
The closer a diamond's color is to colorless, the more valuable a diamond. Despite this, most diamonds do show a trace of yellow, brown or gray. Color is based on a predetermined alphabetical scale ranging from D to Z. D-F is colorless and most rare. G-J is near colorless with good to very good color. K-M is lightly colored, but has noticeable yellow or brown tint.



Clarity
Clarity refers to the number and type of inclusions or slight imperfections present in a diamond. The fewer the number of inclusions, the greater the value of the diamond. Diamond transparency, which refers to the cloudiness of a diamond, also affects its value. The following are abbreviations for classifications that are used world wide to describe the clarity of a diamond:

IF, FL: Internally flawless.
VVS1, VVS2: Near flawless and extremely difficult to impossible to find any inclusions under magnification.

VS1, VS2: Completely clean to the naked eye, and moderately to very difficult to find inclusions under magnification.

SI1, SI2, SI3: Completely to almost completely clear to the naked eye (eye clean) when viewed from the top.

I1, I2, I3: May or may not be easy to find imperfections with the naked eye, but easily visible under magnification.


Carat
The carat of a diamond refers to its weight. The larger the carat is the more rare and valuable the diamond. Diamonds are described in ¼ increments. It is important to remember that two diamonds of equal carat may reflect different values due to cut, clarity and color.