The Four C's of Diamond Buying: Cut, Clarity, Color and Carat

Nowadays, it is common to buy diamonds for engagement rings. When getting a diamond, it is important to understand the Four C's of diamond buying: cut, clarity, color and carat. When you understand these, you are far more likely to get the best quality for your money in an engagement ring.

Cut

Cut refers to the way the stone is cut (obviously). This is usually how the stone is shaped, and how brilliant it is. Princess cut (a square) is a very popular cut of diamond right now. Additionally, there is a cut called radiant that features a square with rounded edges. This radiant cut is done in such a was as to catch the light and increase the sparkle. Round is also a very popular cut of diamond. To make a round cut sparkle, special faceting is done to make it a "round brilliant." Other cuts include pear, marquise, oval and even heart (although this isn't very popular for engagement rings).

Clarity

Clarity is all about the flaws and imperfections. If a diamond is rated with an FL or an IF, it means that it is "flawless." There are no visible imperfections to the stone. The scale goes through varying degrees until it reaches an I (for imperfect). Clearly, it is best to get a better clarity diamond, as it will shine better.

Color

White diamonds come with a color scale that ranges from D (which is the best -- it means that the diamond is colorless) to Z. A Z diamond will be light yellow or brown and have a kind of "dingy" look.

It is important to realize that there are other colors of diamond. There are yellow diamonds. However, these high quality and rare diamonds are not the same dingy color as Z white diamonds. Their yellow is clear and attractive. Colored diamonds (they are also available in orange, pink and blue) are becoming more popular. But they are more expensive.

Carat

Carat refers to the "weight" or size of a stone. It is a measure of how big the stone is. 10 years ago, it was common to see a 1 carat diamond engagement ring. 20 years ago 1/2 a carat was more common. Today, though, the most popular carat weight is 2. You should note that the difference in price paid for a 2 carat ring is dramatic as compared to a 1 carat ring. You don't double the price due to carat size. Rather, depending on the quality of the stone, you will pay three to four times more for a 2 carat diamond engagement ring than you would for a 1 carat.

In the end, though, you should get an engagement ring that fits your bride to be's style. It doesn't even have to be a diamond.