Shopping and Product Reviews

Marriages, special Valentine gifts, Christmas, and so on are all occasions when someone will receive the most magical of gifts, a diamond. Making this purchase, or sometimes investment, is best done with some basic knowledge. Diamond pricing is largely due to something the industry calls "The Four C's; Carat, Cut, Color, and Clarity", which are classified as gemological characteristics.

Carat is a weight classification measuring the mass of the stone; 200mg or approximately.007 ounces. There is a point at which the price will increase. The most popular size is about.95 carats since it is just below a full carat in weight. If the mass goes over one carat to about 1.05, the price drastically will increase. Keep an eye out for the difference in size and the prices listed. A report that is used universally in the market, called the Rapaport Diamond Report, describes different clarity, cuts, and weight considerations for a retail price guideline. It may not hurt to take a look at this before shopping.

Cut refers to how the stone is created into many facets, or faces. When looking at a diamond, the way it is shaped is determined most of the time by a very specific set of math standards. A round cut is the most popular and yields the best results top and bottom. Make sure to look for a foggy white color; it can cover up imperfections and may contain serious fractures. Clear with a little color is your best bet.

Color has a wide range of options and can be very confusing. Simply, the rating scale goes from D (colorless) to Z (a light yellowish tone). The closer you get to D or Z, the more valuable and rare.

Colors can include blue, brown, red, yellow and a myriad of others. Having the jeweler take a moment to explain their version of how this works and what he or she is showing you can go a long way to making an informed decision. P.S. - Beware of the word "fancy", it will cost you.

Finally, there is Clarity. Inclusion is the word here and defines the imperfections or defects within the diamond. As mentioned before, cloudy or a whitish color is indicative of cracks. More significant is the location of these cracks; find one in just the wrong place and you may have serious problems later. There you have it. Going informed and armed with some basic knowledge is always better than finding you purchased a diamond still in the rough.