How to Choose the Right Diamond

Are you planning to pop the question to your significant other in the near future? Might you be looking for a diamond to replace a stone that has recently fallen out of a piece of jewelry? You could instead be curious to learn more about diamonds as investment opportunities. Any of these scenarios will require a basic level of knowledge in regards to how these stones are graded. All jewelers will rate a diamond based on four discrete qualities: carat weight, color, cut, and clarity.

1 Carat Weight

The carat weight (size) of any diamond is one of the ways to determine its price. Stones above one carat can be quite costly (depending upon the other metrics that we will look at below). There is still a trade-off to be mentioned here. A diamond of a large carat weight with more flaws might actually be a more cost-effective option when compared to a much smaller stone that is nearly flawless.

2 Color

It is a rather pervasive myth that diamonds are purely colorless stones. Believe it or not, they come in a veritable kaleidoscope of tones. These will depend upon any other chemicals that might have been present when they were initially created. The presence of background radiation has also been shown to have an impact. Here are some of the colors which you have to choose from:

• Steel grey
• Blue
• Yellow
• Orange
• Red
• Green

Red stones are by far the rarest, although any diamond that exhibits a slight departure from its normal white tone may be priced higher. This will often depend upon the next factor that we will examine immediately below.

3 Clarity

Most naturally occurring diamonds will exhibit internal flaws to an extent. Some of these may be visible to the naked eye, while others may require magnification before becoming apparent. This is actually one way how a jeweler can differentiate between a natural diamond and its synthetic counterpart. Stones rated as flawless or internally flawless are priced much higher due to their inherent rarity.

4 Cut

The cut (shape) of a diamond is determined by the size of the stone and where any inclusions are located. The main intention is to form the stone in such a way as to avoid excessive wastage of the natural material present. Here are some popular cuts to consider:

• Round brilliant (the most recognized)
• Cushion cuts
• Princess cuts
• Table cuts
• Emerald cuts
• Pear cuts

As each of these designs offers a bespoke sense of visual allure, it is a good idea to visit professional online diamond emporiums to learn more about which might represent the best choice.

Similar to a snowflake, every diamond is unique. This is why appreciating the importance of the four C’s is critical when making an informed decision.