Your Guide To Buying Diamonds Tips for Buying a Diamond •  Choose a reputable jeweler that will be fair and respectable. Your jeweler should provide you with a high level of customer service, integrity, quality, selection, and knowledge of the diamond product. Make sure that your jeweler will talk to you about the diamond you want to purchase and the prices that you are willing to pay for your diamond. Your jeweler should educate you about the diamond so that you can make an intelligent choice. •  Before buying a diamond ask the retailer or the jeweler for an AGS Certificate or a GIA Certificate . This is mainly for verification purposes to assure that the stones are not conflict diamonds . •  There are wide ranges in value of a diamond due to their rarity; certain types are much rarer than others. The 4 C's, which is cut, color, clarity, and carat weight all, explain the value of each individualized diamond. •  Cut . The diamond cut refers to both the diamonds proportions and the diamonds shape. When cut to good proportions the diamond handles light better, which creates more brilliance, more light distribution and more sparkle. Diamonds are cut in a number of shapes solely based on the rough stones nature. The most well-known diamond cuts are round, oval, marquise, square, pear and emerald but in this case it's all about your personal preference.   Ideal diamond cut proportions: •  An ideal diamond cut proportion is a diamond cut that allows light to reflect from one facet to another then it is dispersed back through the diamond. •  A diamond cut deep allows light to break through the opposite side of the pavilion. •  A diamond cut shallow allows light to break through the pavilion not allowing the light to reflect through the diamond. •  Color . Diamonds come in a range of colors from yellow or brown. But contrary to belief the less color a diamond has the rarer it is. Though colored diamonds such as blues, greens and pinks, which are labeled as fancy colored diamonds, are highly priced and are very rare diamonds. A totally colorless diamond, which consumes natural light and then allows it, to pass through it effortlessly is the rarest of them all. The measure of diamond color was originated from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). It started on an alphabetical scale starting at D-Z. The first three colors D, E and F are often called collection colors in which the diamond color is very minute within this range. •  Clarity . Diamond clarity is determined by viewing it under a 10-power magnifying glass by a professional or a jeweler. Most diamonds normally have inclusions. However, the fewer the inclusions the better light can pass through the diamond allowing the diamonds brilliance to radiate. Inclusions and surface blemishes are very prevalent amongst diamonds, the less there are inclusions and blemishes the clearer the diamond. Diamond Clarity Chart •  F: Flawless- no internal or external inclusion. •  IF: Internally Flawless- no internal inclusions, slight external inclusions. •  VVS1-VVS2: Very Very slightly included- minute inclusions that is very difficult to detect under 10x magnification, even by an experienced grader. •  VS1-VS2: Very slightly included- minute inclusions that is invisible to the naked eye and seen only with difficulty under 10x magnification. •  SI1-S12: Slightly included- invisible to the naked eye, yet easily seen by an experienced grader under 10x magnification. •  I1-I3: Included- inclusions are visible to the naked eye and affect brilliance. •  Carat-weight. The carat is simply the unit of weight for a diamond, which is mostly confused with the diamonds size. To determine the carat weight one carat is divided into 100 "points" so that a diamond of 85 points weighs precisely .85 carats. The carat weight isn't the strongest determinant of value but it is the easiest. For instance two diamonds of equal weight can be very different in price simply based on the cut, clarity or color.   Note: Make sure you don't confuse "diamond carat weight" with "karat" which is the fineness of gold. What size diamond should I buy?   •  You have to first determine your budget and what you are willing to spend on your diamond or diamond engagement ring. There is a general rule of "two months salary" being spent on diamond engagement rings. This has been a traditional guideline and does not necessarily need to be followed. You should purchase the diamond size you can afford. •  The diamond carat size is a balance between the diamond size and diamond quality. If you prefer a larger diamond but it isn't within your budget try a diamond graded somewhat lower in reference to diamond color and diamond clarity. •  The diamond size can be altered by what sort of setting holding the diamond. You have to make sure that the diamond carat weight fits the setting you have chosen. •  Slimmer fingers also have a tendency of making small diamond appear bigger. So a larger stone on slimmer fingers will give the appearance of a very large stone.