Diamond Jewelry: Learning The Basic C's

By Marianne Branders for fashion-and-fine-jewelry.com

Diamond jewelry, as many people would say, is the most timeless kind of fine jewelry. Diamonds are very durable and enduring that the giving of this type of jewelry - be it embedded in a necklace, bracelet, ring or as studs in Rolex watches - has become akin to the profession of one's undying love, commitment and devotion. Often the object of engagement rings, diamonds have also become synonymous to the words vow, promise and yes, love.

How to Ensure Your Diamond Will Really Last 'Forever'

Nevertheless, with so many trickery and deception in selling diamond jewelries today, how can one diamond buyer make sure that what he buys is genuine and priced reasonably? For all those clueless diamond buyers out there, it is important to first learn the basics of diamond jewelries. Simply put, the value of a diamond can be determined by four C's: cut, color, carat and clarity:

1. Cut - Not to be mistaken with the shape of the diamond, cut is the term used when referring to the number of facets in a diamond. The facets are made using an accurate mathematical formula. As such, a poorly cut diamond manifests in its shine and brilliance.
   
   
2. Color - People who do not know the first thing about diamonds nor jewelries are often surprised to know that diamonds actually come in different colors. The most popular, and as a matter of fact the rarest among diamond colors is colorless. More common, and therefore less expensive, are diamonds that have a yellowish hue.
   
   
3. Carat - This refers to the weight of the diamond. A carat is equivalent to 200 mg, so the bigger the diamond, the more carat and value the jewelry packs!
   
   
4. Clarity - Diamonds can be flawless or imperfect, in terms of their clarity. Just like water, diamond imperfections include bubbles, spots and lines.