A diamond buyers guide to make the best choice; every diamond buyer should know the basics of what to look for. It’s not just glitz and glamor, and you want the diamond you purchase to look just as good in sunlight as it does under the kleig lights of the store. You don’t have to have graduated from a gemologist school to be able to purchase a wonderful, sparkling diamond. You just need a diamond buyers guide.

Diamond brokers use what they call the Four Cs of Diamonds: Carat weight, Cut, Color, and Clarity. Diamond weight is measured in carats rather than ounces, and so the category of carat weight is pretty obvious. The bigger the diamond, the heavier the carat weight.

Next is the Cut, which shouldn’t be confused with shape. Cut is NOT oval or square or round. Cut refers to the actual manner in which the diamond is cut, i.e. how many reflective surfaces it has, which determines how it shines in a variety of light. Cut is considered the most important of the 4Cs.

The diamond color is designated by a letter, with D being colorless and going all the way through Z, which is nearly a brownish color. Gemologists prize DEF grades most, but GHI diamonds are the ones you will see in many stores. Don’t be stuck on just the letters, however. Some people prefer the yellowish diamonds for their warm color and how they look in a particular setting.

Clarity is determined by how many inclusions a diamond has. Though surface flaws are termed blemishes, and internal flaws are termed inclusions, for the purposes of rating, everything is considered an inclusion.

That being said, diamonds are rated from F (flawless, no inclusions, most rare) to I3 (very large inclusions visible to the naked eye). You want to consider ratings from F to SI (slightly included) for a diamond purchase rather than I1-I2-I3 because the the F to SI ratings don’t affect clarity, they only affect value.

According to the cash for gold insider higher quality diamonds will hold their price and even increase in price over the years, if you’re looking for an investment think about a fancy colored diamond of high quality.  The closer to flawless a diamond is, the more intrinsic value it has. Other ratings make the diamond cost less.

Men’s Sterling Silver “S” Shape Diamond Ring (1/2 cttw, I-J Color, I3 Clarity), Size 10

• Gemstones may have been treated to improve their appearance or durability and may require special care

List Price: $ 307.36

Price: $ 122.00

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