Choosing a Diamond When one thinks of wedding and engagement rings, diamonds spring first to mind. Because of their unsurpassed qualities of hardness and brilliance, diamonds light up the hand as few other gems can. But it can be a little daunting choosing a good jewel, if you are new to the gem world. Experts know that there are four distinct qualities one always looks for in choosing a diamond. These are commonly known as the 4 C's, and we'll explain them to you here.

Colour
Diamonds are graded on a scale from D to Z. Completely colourless diamonds are called D's and the clearer they are, the greater their value. However, other members in the spectrum of diamonds have gained huge popularity for their cream to golden hues. Champagne and Canary Diamonds are dazzling to the eye and just that little something to make them different from the usual. However, the more yellow a diamond is, you will find that the cost rises accordingly.

Cut
Contrary to what you might think, this does not refer to the overall shape of the diamond (princess, heart, oval), but to the manner in which it is faceted by the gem cutter. Diamonds, and nearly all other precious gems, are faceted to bring out their brilliance. When you are looking into the gem, be sure that lots of light is entering and bouncing back into your eye with maximum sparkle. It takes an expert to tell the exact quality of a cut, therefore we do recommend that you request a AGS Certificate or a GIA Certificate which certifies the value of your stone. Diamonds are graded as follows: Ideal, Premium, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor. Obviously an Ideal would be ideal! But for people on a budget, a Good diamond will provide wonderful fire and beauty.

Clarity
Most gems come out of rocks, so you can't expect them to be perfect like a manmade object. Truly flawless gems are very valuable, but many stones contain bubbles, scratches or deposits of other minerals, and these things are known as inclusions. They effect the perfect brilliance of the diamond, but unless you are looking through a jeweler's instrument, it is unlikely you'd be able to spot them. Clarity is graded on a scale. F Flawless - no internal or external inclusions. IF Internally Flawless - no internal inclusions, slight external inclusions. VVS1-VVS2Very Very Slightly Included - minute inclusions that are very difficult to detect under 10x magnification, even by an experienced grader.VS1-VS2 Very Slightly Included - minute inclusions that are invisible to the naked eye and seen only with difficulty under 10x magnification. SI1-SI2 Slightly Included - invisible to the naked eye, yet easily seen by an experienced grader under 10x magnification. I1-I3 Included - inclusions are visible to the naked eye and affect brilliance. Most people do need to take cost into account and generally choose a diamond graded between SI2 and VS1. Again, if you want to be sure of your stone's quality, ask to see documents.

Carat
Obviously, it would be nice to have 40K diamond lying about the house, but would you really want to wear it every day? Well...maybe. There is no real rule governing the size and weight of the diamond you choose. Some people might opt for a larger stone of poorer quality or, for a best quality, tiny stone. It all depends on the budget, style and taste of the individual. A good jeweler should be able to show you a wide array of diamonds in your price range and you need only choose what suits you best!