How to buy diamonds

The Four Most Important C's. CUT, COLOR, CLARITY, CARAT.

Earrings, pendants, bracelets, rings - diamonds are the ultimate stone for any type of jewelry. Which makes them a sure bet for anyone's wish list. So how do you know what you're buying? C for yourself.

CUT
The cut (not to be confused with the shape) of a diamond is in the craftmanship. A properly-cut diamond flashes with light - reflected from one facet to another and then dispersed through the top of the stone. A diamond that is cut too shallow or too deep won't reflect the light with the same brilliance as a well-cut stone.

Among the 4 c's that determine a diamond's value, cut is considered the most crucial. Of course, the better the cut, the more valuable the gem.

An ideal cut is the most brilliant of diamond cuts. Mathematician Marcel Tolkowsky discovered the ideal cut by calculating the exact angles required to produce maximum brilliance. Because of the symmetry required for the perfect reflection of light, only round diamonds may be graded as ideal cuts.

A very good cut reflects back almost all of the light that enters the diamond. In fact, the difference between an ideal cut and a very good cut cannot be seen by the naked eye. A very good cut diamond is exceptionally proportioned, making it an excellent investment.

A good cut is a well-proportioned diamond that reflects back a good amount of light. While a good cut compromises some light and fire, it makes a fine jewelry gemstone. A fair cut compromises light and brilliance in order to maximize the weight of the original gemstone. A fair cut may reflect as little as 40 percent of the captured light back through the top of the stone.

COLOR
Color - or lack thereof -- is critical in a diamond - and drastically alters the stone's value. A colorless diamond is the ultimate - an indulgence of light that dazzles the eye. Most diamonds feature tinges of yellow or brown, but they also come in 'fancy colors' such as pink, blue, red and even green.

Diamond color is graded using the following scale:
	COLOR GRADING SCALE

COLORLESS
NEAR COLORLESS
FAINT YELLOW
VERY LIGHT YELLOW
LIGHT YELLOW

D E F
G H I J
K L M
N O P Q
S - Z

Most Valuable
Valuable
Midrange
Less Valuable
Fancy Valuable

Buyer's Tip - Near-colorless diamonds are your best value. Only a trained gemologist can detect the difference between a colorless diamond and one graded as G,H or I.

CLARITY
Clarity refers to the clearness of a diamond. Flaws such as inclusions are inside the stone and take the shape of feathers, clouds, cavities or crystals. Blemishes, on the stone's surface, are abrasions, nicks, pits, or scratches.

Trace minerals trapped in a diamond when it's formed make each diamond unique, like a fingerprint or snowflake. The extent of inclusions - number, color, nature, size and position - determine the degree of a diamond's clarity.

Diamond clarity is graded on the following scale. Keep in mind, IF through SI diamonds represent 50 per cent of all gem-quality diamonds.

CLARITY GRADING SCALE
IF VVS1 VVS2 VS1 VS2 SI1 SI2 I1 I2 I3	Internally Flawless Very, Very Slight Inclusions Very, Very Small Inclusions Very Slight Inclusions Very Small Inclusions Slight Inclusions Small Inclusions Inclusions Noticeable Inclusions Very Noticeable Inclusions

Buyer's Tip - When it comes to a clarity grade, you'll find the best value in a VS or SI diamond. Although these stones have internal flaws, they are invisible to the naked eye.

CARAT
Carat (ct) is the measurement used to gauge a diamond's weight - it differs from a karat, which describes the fineness of gold. The word 'carat' dates back to when early gem traders weighed their diamonds with the seeds found in the pods of the carob, or locust tree. Carob seeds are extremely consistent in weight.

Today's carat equals one-fifth of a gram. This metric weight (0.2 grams) is equivalent to 1/42 of a standard ounce.

Each carat is divided into 100 points. An example:

• a quarter carat = 25 points, written 0.25 carat .

• a half a carat = 50 points, written 0.50 carat .

Buyer's Tip - Want the look of a full carat diamond but not the price tag? Consider buying 0.90. You can save hundreds of dollars and the difference in size is only 0.2 millimeters - that's the thickess of a piece of paper. A difference you're unlikely to notice even when comparing then side by side.