Admirers of diamonds need to know diamond quality in order to judge whether or not they are making a good purchase at a reasonable price. The most basic thing in judging diamond quality is an understanding of the four Cs namely Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat. Examining a diamond carefully is important in order to judge its quality. After purchasing a diamond, some degree of care is required in its use in order to maintain its quality.

Cut of a Diamond

The cut of a diamond includes two aspects of its appearance: shape and make. Shapes vary widely for diamonds but, on the whole, a round brilliant cut is the most desirable one. It is made with 58 facets, giving the diamond a brilliant look. Radiant, princess, and marquise cuts are also valued higher than other shapes. The make of a cut refers to the quality or craft of workmanship. A better make gives greater sparkle to a diamond, greatly enhancing diamond quality. The real beauty of a diamond depends heavily on its make.

Diamond Color

Diamonds are found in a wide range of colors. The color of a diamond is defined on an alphabetical list, ranging from D to X, for white and yellow diamonds, such that D represents the whitest color and growing into fancy yellow color at S. Diamond colors E and F are generally admired for their excellence and beauty while J to M are regarded as desirable colors for larger diamonds. Green, pink, red, blue, and brown colors are usually the result of treatment of diamonds with radiation.

Clarity of a Diamond

Clarity is an important property that determines diamond quality. The most precious diamonds are perfectly clear or flawless both inside and on the surface. Next higher in quality are internally flawless diamonds that carry some minor blemishes on the surface. Diamonds having inclusions are considered as less clear and those in which inclusions can be seen with the naked eye rank the lowest on clarity.

Carat Weight of a Diamond

Carat is the measure of the size of a diamond. Of the four Cs that determine diamond quality, carat is usually the last thing to consider because clarity, cut, and color are held more important. Still, carat is important as it influences a diamond’s price significantly. Carat is usually measured in points such that one carat consists of 100 points, half carat having 50 points, and so on. The price of a diamond can vary significantly for as low as 5 to 10 points hence it is important to know a diamond’s exact carat weight in points.

Diamonds are something everyone would like to buy if they could afford them. While it is true that diamonds are normally synonymous with luxurious high-end shopping, you need not despair if you are not super rich and still want to possess a diamond. There are diamonds that are indeed priceless and there are diamonds which are relatively affordable. The price of the diamond mostly depends upon its ratings.

What Are Diamond Ratings?

Diamond ratings are the indicators that describe the quality of your diamond. You must have heard of the four C’s which represent the clarity, color, carat and cut of the diamond. These diamond ratings would tell you how pure and valuable the diamond is.

Clarity Of The Diamond

The clarity of the diamond is judged by the amount of impurities it has trapped inside it. It is rare to find a totally flawless diamond and it is needless to say that such a diamond would be extremely costly. This diamond is rated as FL or flawless.

Most of the impurities are not visible to the naked eyes therefore you could buy a very impressive looking diamond even if it is not perfectly flawless. Some diamonds are flawless inside but have some tiny blemishes outside. Once again, these blemishes are not normally visible to the naked eye but require a powerful magnifying glass to see. These diamonds are rated as IF or internally flawless.

Color Of The Diamond

The color of the diamond is yet another important indicator of the grade and value of the diamond. The most expensive diamond is colorless, which is very rare. The color of the diamond is in fact caused by impurities and therefore the more colorful they are, the less valuable they are.

Carat Of The Diamond

Carat here means weight of the diamond, which also signifies its size. Therefore, the larger the diamond would be the higher price tag it would have. Of course, the other properties have their influence as well, but this is one of the most obvious of all.

Cut Of The Diamond

Most people think that “cut” indicates the shape of the diamond. In realty the cut refers to the way its facets have been shaped, which influences its brilliance and shine. The more complex is the cut, the more expensive would your diamond be.

Some Common Diamond Ratings

Based on the above indicators some popular diamond ratings are FL for flawless, IF for internally flawless, VVS1, VVS2, VVS3 for very, very slightly imperfect (where the higher number is more imperfect), VS1, VS2, VS3 for very slightly imperfect and I-1, I-2, I-3 for imperfect diamonds.

Finding that perfect ring for that special someone can be a difficult task. You want the ring to symbolize the love you feel for her, so it needs to be perfect. You have picked out the best diamond, but now what? You also need to choose the right kind of diamond ring settings. The diamond ring settings can make or break the look of your diamond, so choose wisely.

So Many Options!

Diamond ring settings are a few in number. There are channel settings, prong settings, invisible settings, and bezel settings. These all have their pros and cons, and picking one out really depends in the look you are going for.

One of the most popular diamond ring settings is the prong setting. This setting used three to five prongs in order to hold the diamond to the ring. This is the most common setting, but also the most visible.

An invisible setting is great for the person who wants the diamond to be the most important part of the ring. An invisible setting looks as though the diamond is just floating above the ring, not really attached. But rest assured, the diamond is securely attached to the ring.

Another type of diamond ring settings that can work for you is the channel setting. A channel setting is really popular for engagement rings. The setting looks like the diamond is sitting in between two bands, or channels. This is the most popular engagement ring setting because not only will the diamond stand out, but you have room to work with adding extra diamonds or other stones on the two channels.

Bezel settings are a beautiful type of diamond ring settings that partially encase the diamond in the ring band. It is reminiscent of the stone setting of a class ring. It maintains the diamond in a low profile which is great for those who are very active. It would be a shame to pick the wrong setting for an active person and they lose the diamond because of an accident. The bezel setting will greatly reduce the risk of any damage to the ring.

Whatever type of diamond ring settings you choose, know that there is a different type for every type of person. Know also that some types of settings will make a modest diamond seem more luxurious. Look at all the different types of settings and choose the one that will make your lover’s heart sing.

The traditional wedding proposal generally involves a romantic plan. This romantic plan can involve a special candlelight dinner for two or some other elaborate scheme where the individual who is proposed to is completely taken off guard. Some unique marriage proposal questions have been posed at baseball games where the question is posed on the huge electronic screen at the ballpark. One additional unique idea could be for the couple to fly over a field in an airplane with the question being posed in big letters on the ground.

Often when one individual asks for another person’s hand in marriage there are other traditional acts performed. For example, the male may get down onto one knee and asks the woman for her hand in matrimony. Another common gesture affiliated with the marriage proposal is the presenting of a diamond ring. Diamond rings say so much to each other when this act of love and commitment is entered into. Therefore, it is important to understand the symbolism of the diamond rings and how the rings are constructed.

Symbolism of the Diamond Rings

The presenting of a diamond ring as part of the wedding proposal has been a common tradition practiced in many countries. It is meant to be a solemn declaration that symbolizes a number of things. First, of all there is symbolism involved with the circular band itself. This circle of love symbolizes the expressed love of the individual to one being proposed to.

As the ring is slipped on the ringer finger of the left hand of the individual, that person in turn accepts that love and proposal of marriage. In addition, the circular style of the diamond ring symbolizes a love with no beginning and no end. The ring can simply be a symbolic expression of love everlasting.

In addition, the diamond on the ring has its own unique symbolism. The diamond is known for its qualities of beauty as it shines clear and bright. The diamond is also an expensive gem. Also, the diamond is known for its endurance. In fact, it is one of the hardest natural substances found on earth.

This symbolism of a diamond ring is meant to reflect the beauty, preciousness and strength of the love that the betrothed couple is experiencing. This representation of the diamond, as part of the diamond engagement ring, is a perfect representation of the love that a couple has for each other.

Construction of Diamond Rings

When discussing the construction of the diamond rings, generally two particular aspects come to mind. Those aspects are the metals used and the stone selected. When selecting the diamond ring for that special someone it is important to know that there are choice. Those choices include selecting the appropriate metal used to construct the band.

Some of those choices include gold, silver, platinum, titanium, etc. Traditional gold is always a good choice; however, it is important to consider the taste of the individual who will be wearing the ring as well as how it will look on their hand.

Of course, the critical choice to be made, when selecting the diamond ring, is the diamond itself that will adorn the ring. When selecting that perfect diamond it is important to remember the 4 C’s. Those C’s are clarity, carat, color and cut.

To determine how valuable a diamond is a diamond scale is typically used, based on the four characteristics of this precious gem. Clarity, color, cut and carat weight make up what jewelers refer to as the four “C’s” with the clarity, color and cut having their own diamond scale. The scales are laid out from left to right and the more a diamond is graded to the left hand side of the scale, the more valuable it is.

Carat

While there is no diamond scale for this characteristic, the carat referred to as the “weight” of the gem and is also used with other stones as well. Each diamond carat is divided into 100 points so a diamond deemed ½ carat in weight would also be listed as 50 points or 0.50ct. Obviously, the larger the carat of the diamond, the larger the size will be although this does not drive the price alone.

Color

Color is one of the most important considerations in terms of how a diamond should be valued and the diamond scale for it is based on the alphabet. The grading starts at the letter “D” and continues through to the letter “Z” and any diamonds beyond “Z” are considered exotic or colored and therefore are graded on a different type of diamond scale.

Diamonds graded D,E, or F are near colorless and therefore the most valuable of all diamonds but that does not mean that diamonds rated higher in the alphabet are any less striking. A near colorless distinction is rated D through J while faint yellow is K through M and pale light yellow is graded N through R. On the color diamond scale of S through Z, the stone is a clear light yellow, just a bit darker than the K through M grades.

Clarity

Clarity of a diamond refers to the characteristics of the stone, some being visible to the naked eye while others require the use of a loupe to see. The word “inclusion” is the name of the term that refers to any crystallized formations, cracks, cloudy areas or other “faults” that might be found within the stone.

There are five basic levels of clarity on the diamond scale for this characteristic and they range from flawless and internally flawless all the way to three sublevels of imperfect. The flawless and internally flawless diamonds have no imperfections whatsoever and are among the rarest of gems. The next level on the diamond scale is the very, very slightly imperfect diamonds which reveal very few inclusions when inspected with a magnified loupe.

Most diamonds on the regular retail market are categorized by the clarity diamond scale as very slightly imperfect to just slightly imperfect. It is important to note that any flaws or inclusions can affect the brilliance of the stone and therefore the flawless and internally flawless diamonds are the most revered.

Cut

While there is a diamond scale for the cut of a diamond, it is not referred to as often as the ones for color and clarity. A good cut diamond is one that provides that flash and brilliance that you look for in a quality stone. If your diamond does not have those qualities, chances are the stone is on the right end of the cut diamond scale spectrum.

If you are serious about your diamonds, refer to the different diamond scales when making a purchase for a special someone or even as an investment. Of course, the better the rating is for your diamond on each diamond scale, the higher the price you will pay.

This article will describe the ten most common diamond shapes so that you can choose which one works best for you. There are ten basic diamond shapes and it is important you know what each is and what their significance is so that you can best choose the right one for your significant other.

The Ten Diamond Shapes

The first of the ten diamond shapes we will look at is the Round Cut. This is by far and away the most popular of all the diamond shapes, and you really can not go wrong by choosing this one. When you think of what a traditional diamond looks like, this is the shape that comes to mind. Next up is the second most popular of the ten diamond shapes, the princess cut.

This cut generally will no allow for maximum beauty and brilliance, but if cut exceptionally well it can really show of the true inner beauty of the diamond. Choose this shape with caution. Next is the oval cut diamond. Basically an elongated brilliant cut diamond, this is a very traditional looking cut and works well in a lot of different settings.

This cut flatters the hand well, works in engagement rings and carries a timeless style that will always look classy. The marquise diamond cut is traditionally a cut for royalty. It could be the most elegant and regal of all the cuts. It is about twice as long as wide and this length leads to an elongating appearance of the hand it is on. This cut will appear significantly larger to the eye because of this long cut, so it can be used very effectively in smaller diamonds.

The emerald cut, also known as a step cut, has few facets and displays less characteristic sparkle of the other cuts. Also because of this, any imperfections in the diamond will become readily apparent. The asscher cut is more common in other gems then diamonds, but diamonds can be cut this way. This style has more of an art deco look to it, but is gaining in popularity.

The heart shaped diamond is one of the most appealing and unique cuts. It is however one of the most difficult diamonds to cut, and perfect or flawless versions of this cut can be very rare. However, if you can find one in flawless condition nothing matches the brilliance of a heart cut diamond. Pear shape diamonds are another beautiful diamond cut.

They fall somewhere in between an oval and marquise shape, bringing in aspects and benefits of both cuts. A radiant cut diamond is a cross between an emerald and a round cut. It has the same basic shape as an emerald cut, but has more facets to bring the diamond more to life. This cut is nowhere near as popular as it once was, but does have a lot of traditional charm.

The final cut is the cushion cut. This cut gets its name from the appearance of the stone. This diamond is the primary choice for someone trying to make a diamond look bigger than it actually is, as the shaped cut enhances the appearance and size of the diamond.

A diamond solitaire ring is best known for its use as an engagement ring. Traditionally, diamond solitaire rings have been given to one’s fiancé for symbolizing the engagement. For quite some time, however, these rings have also become popular for giving away as gifts on special occasions, especially engagements and weddings. To get a good purchase of a diamond solitaire ring, it is helpful to get some basic knowledge of the fashion trend and desirable qualities of diamond solitaire rings.

Diamond Solitaire Ring Designs

All diamond solitaire rings share the same basic design, i.e. only one diamond in a ring setting (hence the name solitaire meaning ‘one’ or ‘single’). There are no side stones or other embellishments involving other gems. This essential feature, however, does not limit the variety of designs in these rings as the metal settings of the ring, the diamond’s shape and size, and the style of combining the diamond crystal with the ring set vary from one item to another.

Round solitaires are still the most popular of various diamond shapes in a diamond solitaire ring. Other diamond shapes, or cuts as they are called, commonly appreciated among many customers are marquise, emerald, oval, and pear cuts. These designs make the diamond appear larger to the eyes of an onlooker. Also unique in its look is a single heart-shaped or trillium-shaped diamond.

Metal Set for Diamond Solitaire Ring

Traditionally, 14k yellow gold has been used for making diamond solitaire rings. However, jewelry fashion is now seeing a shift in this trend and white gold and platinum are increasingly becoming popular for making the set of diamond solitaire rings. Even in yellow gold, many jewelers are getting to the higher grade of 18k that makes a more intense and richer yellow than the standard 14k variety.

For creating a distinct tone, some jewelers use rose gold (gold alloyed with copper) for making the metal set. Various varieties of prong settings remain the primary choice of most diamond jewelry enthusiasts but other kinds of settings like bezel, tension, arched, and flush are all liked by customers. Channel settings do not work well for diamond solitaire rings because there is only one diamond crystal to feature.

Diamond Solitaire Ring Prices

One may expect the cost of a diamond solitaire ring to be less than most other diamond rings because there is only one diamond used without many embellishments. However, the prices of individual items vary widely, depending on the weight and purity of the precious metal used for setting, and the diamond’s quality. Broadly, the prices of most diamond solitaire rings fall in the range of $300 to $1000, though rings costing well above $2000 are also not very uncommon.

Marilyn Monroe sang about diamonds being a girl’s best friend and indeed, many women love diamonds and want them in a variety of jewelry pieces, including earrings. Some women go even as far to say that diamond stud earrings are the ultimate in jewelry, meaning that they provide a dressed up look to any wardrobe. Do you know what to look for when it comes to buying a pair of these sparkly rocks?

Types of Diamonds

Diamonds can be expensive and are often viewed upon as an investment but when they find their way into diamond stud earrings, many people will forsake all their other jewelry in order to afford the stud earrings. There are different types of these earrings and what set the truly remarkable from the regular ho-hum diamond are their size, color and clarity.

Most retail jewelry stores will have diamond stud earrings with a “J” color rating and up to a 13 in clarity. This scenario is quite predictable and spawns quite a few respectable and fashionable pieces of jewelry. When diamond stud earrings have a color rating of “J” or less, you are talking an almost absence of color and presents quite a price tag. The clarity issue deals with how the stone is cut, usually a cut with few flaws.

Choosing What You Want

Diamond stud earrings can come in a variety of sizes, shapes and even styles and it is up to you to decide what your favorite setting will be first. There are the traditional round ones that give off a brilliant shine and the princess cut is also popular with its boxy shape. The type of metal used in the preparation of crafting the diamond stud earrings is also another choice to make such as yellow gold, white gold, platinum or even silver.

Typically a diamond in your stud earrings needs to be secured using strong jewelry prongs, usually four to start. The backing of the earrings is a bit tricky as one could be a straight post with a back stopper just sliding right on up the post. There is also the chance that the earring post could be a screw-on post which makes for a more secure fit.

How big do you want your diamond stud earrings and how much are you willing to pay for them? Again, the bottom line for many consumers is their pocketbook so chances are they are willing to settle for an inferior diamond that is a bit larger than other traditional stud earrings. However diamond stud earrings can be quite expensive as well and great pains should be taken to ensure that you yourself do not get taken either. Your best bet would be to have a gemologist inspect your diamonds to ensure that you are getting the highest quality possible at a price you can afford.

So you are looking for the perfect gift for you loved one and decided on a diamond tennis bracelet. That part was easy, now the hard part is deciding which diamond tennis bracelet is the perfect one for you. This guide is going to walk you step by step in deciding on what to purchase so you can rest assured that you get the best diamond tennis bracelet for your money.

Steps to Buying the Perfect Diamond Tennis Bracelet

The first thing you need to determine is how much money you want to spend. Diamond tennis bracelets start at around a thousand dollars on the low end and can run easily upwards into five, six or even more thousands of dollars. Once you have your budget in place you will have a better idea of what you can and can not afford. After price, the next item to consider is what metal you want the bracelet made out of.

You basically have two choices as far as color goes, but within each color are multiple options. You have to decide whether to get a gold or silvered colored bracelet, and in generally this will be completely up to the person you are buying the bracelet for. If you choose gold, then you really only have one option and that is to get a gold bracelet. For silver, you actually have three solid choices to choose from.

You can get silver, white gold, or platinum. Silver is by far the least expensive metal of the three, with white gold falling in the middle and platinum being on the high end. The luster of platinum will be noticeably higher than that of gold or silver, although white gold is a perfectly acceptable choice. Silver bracelets are tougher to come by and may leave the person who you bought it for wanting more.

After you have chosen the metal, you then need to choose what kind of diamonds you want in your diamond tennis bracelet. Some come with white diamonds, some with black, and even others with a mix. For the most part if you have selected gold you probably want to only go with white diamonds. For silver colored bracelets, either color is acceptable.

Black diamonds tend to be less expensive then white ones, so you may be able to get larger white diamonds in a diamond tennis bracelet with black ones. The amount you choose to spend will directly affect the amount and quality of the diamonds in the bracelet you purchase, although in general you can get away with lower quality diamonds than you would find in a single setting ring, earring, or necklace. At this point, you should have a good idea of what you want in your diamond tennis bracelet; the only thing left to do is go out and purchase it.

Diamond is so far the hardest known substance on earth and its hardness is put to a number of applications, the most important of which is cutting. Diamond tools are cutting tools in which segments of diamond are used in order to cut through different kinds of hard materials.

Mostly, these diamond tools are used for cutting various construction materials like concrete, bricks, and cinder blocks. Other materials which are cut by means of diamond-edged tools include granite, porcelain, asphalt, and marble etc. Some hard materials like steel or iron should not be cut with diamond tools because diamond is made of carbon that may dissolve into the work piece, causing wearing of the tool and difficulty in completing the cutting work.

Categories of Diamond Tools

Diamond tools can be classified into five main categories: dressing tools, polycrystalline diamond cutting tools, paste and slurry, electroplated tools, and single point diamond turning tools. Diamond dressing tools are primarily used in the automobile industry, particularly for truing and dressing of grinding wheels.

Polycrystalline diamond cutting (PCD) tools find their use mostly in cutting/shaping nonmetallic and nonferrous materials. Pastes and slurry of diamond serve the purpose of polishing certain materials including glass and diamonds. Electroplated tools of diamond are primarily used as files or for minor grinding work but also for manufacturing nail files. Single Point Diamond Turning (SPDT) tools are very useful in the optical industry.

User’s Guidelines

For getting the best performance while working with diamond tools, it is important to take care of some basic guidelines. First of all, it is necessary to use the right kind of tool for the kind of cutting work at hand. Then, it is important to select the right kind of RPMs for the diamond tools; RPMs that run too slow or get too speedy can harm the tools by producing extra heat.

Also central to the condition and performance of diamond tools is using the right type of coolant for taking away the heat generated during the cutting process. The coolant is used at the point of contact between the diamond tool and the material being worked. Dressing the new tools before using and redressing regularly while in use also make the tools last longer and do their job well.

Another factor of significant import in maintaining the condition of one’s diamond tools is using the right kind of accessories with the types of material being cut. Wheel stiffener sets, for example, are used for making the diamond blade more rigid for cutting certain hard materials. Finally, if the diamond tools are used regularly, it is advisable to alter the machinery so as to make room for variable speed capability.