how do I choose a diamond?

how to buy the best diamond at the
best price
A step-by-step guide to learning about diamonds and becoming an educated diamond consumer.

There's a lot more to buying a diamond than being in love. It's a big investment and an important decision! Before you make it, you should do the research just as you would before buying stock, or real estate, or a car for that matter.

A diamond education doesn't cost you anything. But if you don't learn about diamonds before you select one, it could cost you a bundle. Your goal should be to approach the diamond counter as an educated consumer. That way, you can not only make an informed, competent and rational purchase, but one that will please the woman in your life with it’s brilliance and beauty.

step one:
researching diamonds begins by learning the 4C's

Researching diamonds begins by learning the 4C's. When you learn about diamonds, you'll hear a lot about the 4C's. In diamond lingo, diamond attributes – the characteristics of a diamond – are known as the 4C's. The 4C's help to determine both the value and the beauty of a diamond. Obviously, the more beautiful a diamond is, the more people are willing to pay for it. But what makes a diamond beautiful?

• Carat
• Cut
• Colour
• Clarity

These are the 4C's. A diamond's size is measured in carat weight. The cut is considered the most important characteristic of a diamond, because a well proportioned stone, regardless of it shape, offers the greatest fire, sparkle, and brilliance. Colour is the natural body color visible in a diamond, and the single characteristic determined by nature alone. Clarity is an indication of a diamond's purity.

step two:
get smart about diamond certification.

As a rule, every diamond a reputable jeweller sells has been examined and graded according the 4C's. The rating gives you a scientific means for comparing the price of one diamond with another. A larger diamond – one with greater carat weight – may be lower in price than a smaller one because its cut, clarity and color are not as special. All 4C's must be taken into account to determine the value.

But how do you find out the grading for each diamond? Another C word: Certification
Diamond certificates are issued by independent gemological laboratories. Certification serves as written proof of a diamond's attributes and a basis for determining the value of diamonds with similar attributes. Certification gives you the power to purchase a diamond with the characteristics you want at a fair market price.

But be careful. Certification is just one part of determining a diamond's value.

step three:
developing an eye for beauty and brilliance

There are several factors that contribute to a diamond's beauty – or the appearance of beauty in the eye of the beholder. Some women consider a certain shape, such as a round diamond more beautiful than another shape, such as a pear. How a diamond is set is another matter of personal taste that affects your impression of a diamond's beauty.

But the most critical aspect of the inherent beauty of a diamond is its brilliance. Brilliance is also called "fire" and "sparkle." It is the element that brings the diamond to life, catches your eye from afar and reflects lights as it moves on a woman's hand. Brilliance is the wow factor!