The Diamond

Traditionally, the man would first purchase his loved one "The Ring" and then ask for her hand in matrimony. Today, it is getting more common for the couple to purchase the ring after marriage has been proposed. The famous "Four C's" are used to determine quality and price of the diamond that is set into the engagement ring. They are: Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat. Don't get hung up on just one of the "C's" when searching for the perfect ring. Balance all four C's when determining the value of a diamond you wish to buy.

Cut: Describes the shape of the stone. A diamond must be precisely shaped for engagement rings. The brilliant, oval, marquise, emerald, heart and pear shapes are the most popular. Clarity: refers to the absence of natural flaws or blemishes. Most diamonds have some inclusions that can be seen under a jeweler's loupe; stones truly free of inclusions are quite rare and expensive. Diamonds are graded by clarity, as follows:

• Fl = flawless
• IF = internally flawless; can have surface flaws
• VVS1 and VVS2 = very, very small inclusions
• VS1 and VS2 = very small inclusions
• SI1 and SI2 = small inclusions
• I1, I2 and I3 = imperfect

Color: Although often difficult for consumers to see, the color grade will contribute to the value of a stone. Degrees of the shadings are very slight. The following grading system was developed by the Gemological Institute of America and is universally accepted as the standard for judging a diamond's color, with letter grades from D to Z. Grade D is the highest (and most costly), and those stones graded below J will be the least expensive, (and most likely the least acceptable to you.) D, E, F = colorless G, H, I, J = near colorless K, L, M= faint yellow N to Z = very light or light yellow Carat: Carat refers to the weight of the stone. One carat is equal to 100 points, so a 10-point diamond weighs one-tenth of a carat, a 25-point diamond weights one quarter of a carat, and so on.