DIAMONDS ARE FOR EVER Diamonds: Color: With the exception of "fancy colored diamonds", the more colorless a diamond is, the more valuable it is. Jewelers grade diamonds on a scale from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow). Anything more yellow than D is considered fancy and is much more expensive. Cut: Many people make the mistake of thinking that cut means the shape of the diamond. Rather, it means the way the diamond was faceted to allow light to reflect from it. In a well cut diamond, light enters the diamond and reflects straight back to the viewer's eye. Some cutters will sacrifice cut to create the largest possible diamond, thus making too shallow or too deep of a cut and causing light to "leak" out the sides and bottom of the diamond. Clarity: Diamonds frequently have inclusions, or small flaws, air bubbles, scratches, or other minerals inside the diamond. The less inclusions a diamond has, the more valuable it is, and the more beautiful it is. The scale for grading diamond's clarity is: F Flawless - no internal or external inclusions. IF Internally Flawless - no internal inclusions, slight external inclusions. VVS1-VVS2 Very Very Slightly Included - minute inclusions that are very difficult to detect under 10x magnification, even by an experienced grader. VS1-VS2 Very Slightly Included - minute inclusions that are invisible to the naked eye and seen only with difficulty under 10x magnification. SI1-SI2 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. Caret: This refers to the size of the stone. While some value caret above all, others prefer a small ring regardless of budget. If you're buying a ring as a surprise for someone, consider how flashy their other jewelry is. If they're not someone who wears a lot of designer labels or big jewelry, perhaps you'll want to opt for a smaller stone. ITM Photos... <<-- Back --- Next -->>