Diamonds When most people think of diamonds, they admire their sparkling appearance. Along with this, thoughts of virtue, purity, strength, wealth, power and love come to mind. While diamonds varying in size, shape, color, and cut reflect the personality of the individual who wears it, the emotional impact remains constant.  Beyond these romanticized connotations of diamonds are four important factors to consider when choosing a diamond. Diamonds are graded according to the "4 C's" that judge the diamond on its cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. Higher quality diamonds are often sold as "certified diamonds" and come with a certificate that proves the diamond's value. You can find diamond specifications on a certified diamond certificate. Non-certified diamonds should also be evaluated using the 4 C's to help you make an informed decision.  Cut The cut of a diamond including its roundness, depth, width, and the uniformity of the facets all determine a diamond's brilliance. In fact, may gemologists consider the cut to be the most important characteristic of a diamond. Even if a diamond has perfect clarity and color, a diamond with a poor cut will have dulled brilliance.  The width and depth in particular have the most impact on how light travels within the diamond, which in turn affects the brilliance. When a diamond is too shallow, the diamond looses its sparkle and when a diamond is too deep, light escapes causing the diamond to appear dull. It is also valuable to consider the diamond cutting process. Polish and symmetry are two important aspects of cutting a diamond. The polish grade describes the smoothness of the diamond's facets and the symmetry grade refers to the alignment of the facets. Poor polish can cause the surface of the facet to become dulled and may create a blurred sparkle.  The most popular diamond cut is the round brilliant cut. This 58-facet cut has earned its reputation because of its shining brilliance. The look is achieved by cutting the stone to very precise proportions to ensure the maximum amount of light is reflected from the top of the diamond. While most diamonds today are round brilliants, alternative choices are also available and very popular.  Color Although most diamonds appear colorless, in reality they have a slight yellow or brown tint. The more colorless the diamond is the more value it holds. Diamonds are graded on a color scale ranging from D (colorless) to Z (heavily tinted). Only a highly-skilled professional can detect any color in E or F stones, while the color in diamonds rated up to J will be nearly invisible when set in a jewelry design.  Even when a stone has a highly visible tint, other factors such as clarity and cut will determine its true beauty. To make a stone appear more colorless, for example, jewelers will place a slightly yellow diamond in a yellow gold setting.  Diamonds also come in a variety of colors including red, pink, blue, green and bright yellow. The bright yellow diamonds, known as "canary" can sell for as much if not more per carat than colorless diamonds. The reds, pinks, blues and greens, being even rarer, can sell for many times more than colorless diamonds.  Clarity Most diamonds are naturally formed with slight imperfections known as "inclusions" and can come in many forms, including points, dots, or feathers. The fewer inclusions, the more value the stone holds. A diamond's clarity ranking is determined by the number, size, type, and placement of the inclusions.  A stone with only a few hard-to-see spots near the edge that may be covered by the mounting, has more clarity than a stone with a feather directly under the table (the large top facet of the stone). Feathers from the surface through the interior are risky because the diamond could break if hit the wrong way. Small nicks and chips on the surface can be polished away. A diamond certificate charts the inclusions in a particular stone and acts as a fingerprint for identification.  Carat Weight Carat weight of a diamond is actually based on its scale weight. A 1 carat diamond weighs 1/5 of a gram. A carat is further broken down into points. There are 100 points in a diamond. Therefore, a .25 point diamond is a ¼ carat, a .50 point diamond a ½ carat, etc. In jewelry with multiple diamonds, the carats may be described in terms of the total carat weight of all the stones in the individual piece.  Diamonds range in size from a fraction of a carat to several carats. Price increases rapidly with the size of rare diamonds, especially those with intense color and clarity. A single two-carat diamond will cost significantly more than two one-carat diamonds. Expect to pay a premium for stones that are above 1.00 carat (ct.). A .95 ct. diamond will cost slightly more than a .90 ct. stone, but a 1.00 ct. stone will cost significantly more than a .95 ct. stone.  In the end, the best carat weight for you depends on the recipient's style, the size of their finger, setting, and budget. There are a wide variety of carat weights and qualities available in varying price ranges. Also consider the recipient's amount of activity and finger size when choosing the size of diamond.  Metals A beautiful stone partnered with the very finest metal lends itself to a stunning piece of art. Like diamonds, precious metals come in a variety of colors to match the personality of the individual.  Gold Gold remains a popular metal because of its natural beauty and its softness which allows it to be worked into various shapes, providing endless design possibilities.  In fact, pure gold is too soft to endure abrasions caused from daily wear, so it is alloyed with other metals such as silver, copper, nickel and zinc to give it increased strength. Gold is also popular because it does not corrode or tarnish. The quantity of gold in a given alloy is expressed in karats (K or KT). Pure gold is 24K; 18K gold is 75% gold and 25% other metals. Specifically, each karat is equal to roughly 4.17% of the total of the alloy. As the karat weight decreases, the metal becomes more durable and less yellow. When purchasing gold jewelry, look for a stamp that indicates the karat mark. White Gold  White gold has similar properties as yellow gold, except that it is mixed with nickel, zinc, or even platinum to give it a white appearance. This metal can even be plated with a different metal such as rhodium (a rare member of the platinum family) to enhance its appearance. When white gold and yellow gold are placed side by side, a striking effect called "two-tone" is created. White gold should not be confused with platinum, which is rarer than gold and as a result, more valuable.  Platinum  Platinum, a silvery-white metal, is the most precious metal commonly found in jewelry over the last 200 years. Like gold, platinum is rare and heavy, but it is more pure and more durable than gold. When other metals are scratched or polished, a small amount of metal is lost. A scratch in platinum may leave a mark on the metal, but because it is so strong, it will not chip or splinter.  Platinum is commonly mixed with a small amount of iridium, ruthenium, or cobalt, which give the platinum added strength. Platinum is not sold according to karat weights, but rather stamped "PT" or "plat" in the United States to indicate that it is platinum.  Because of its purity, platinum is ideal for individuals who are allergic to other metals. Its light color also makes it a popular setting to make white diamonds appear brighter. top of page