Diamond Ring Buyers Guide

Published on 14/12/09

Finding an engagement ring that fits a woman’s style, personality and is flaweless in appearance can be challenging. But when incorporating the 4 Cs during a purchase, chances are you will choose the right diamond.

Carat, color, cut and clarity are the properties to look for in a diamond and they add up to affect cost and appearance of the stone.

Carat: Diamonds are measured in metric carats equal to 1/5 of a gram. In general, the heavier a diamond is the more valuable it is. But a bigger stone is not always better.

The other Cs affect a diamond’s appearance and radiance.

Cut: Cut dictates how light travels through the diamond to provide maximum radiance. The better the cut, the more sparkle. Cut is then divided into type of cut with round brilliant being the most traditional, but princess cuts are gaining popularity.

Clarity: This refers to the number of imperfections in a stone. Diamonds are rated on a scale of flawless (the rarest and most valuable) to inclusions (which contains more imperfections).

Color: Maybe the easiest quality to tell with the naked eye. Most diamonds contain some color, with value increasing as they approach colorless. The Gemological Institute of America rates diamonds on a scale from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow).