Crystal Rose Advice-Diamonds

The instant two people decide to marry is probably the most intimate, important moment of their lives. It marks that point in time where two commit to become one forever. As a gift of love, diamonds are used to symbolize the unbreakable bond of marriage and the ring is an external symbol of the love and commitment to each other. The first step in finding the perfect ring is dealing with a reputable jeweler. The store should be able to provide a large selection of styles and help you feel comfortable and become educated prior to making your decision. Many people are confused about how diamonds are priced. The best explanation is that the asking price of a diamond depends on its beauty and rarity which are determined by the 4C's. The 4C's are used throughout the world to classify the rarity of diamonds. No one C is more important than another in terms of beauty and it is important to note that each of the 4C's will not diminish in value over time. Diamonds are classified according to what diamond merchants call the 4 C's: cut, clarity, color and carat.

*CUT - This is what gives a diamond its brilliance and should not be confused with the shape of a diamond. How well a diamond is cut determines its sparkle and fire. Brilliant cut stones have fifty-eight facets that reflect light, while step-cut stones have fewer facets and thus less brilliance. There are several different shapes of diamonds that include: round brilliant, pear, oval, marquise, emerald, princess, and heart.

ROUND BRILLIANT - This is the most popular shape for engagement rings and the best "sparkler," since this cut transmits more light than any other.

PEAR - Your jeweler can provide details on the cutting of a pear as they have their own guidelines to be well-cut. Fancy shapes of pears differ and can be wide or elongated.

MARQUISE - The marquise is named after Louis XV's mistress, the Marquise de Pompadour, who preferred her gems cut in this shape. The extra labor involved in cutting the diamond makes it more expensive than a round brilliant of a similar size and quality.

EMERALD - The name for the stone that is often fashioned this way, the emerald cut has less sparkle than a round brilliant but is a very elegant look nonetheless. Princess Grace of Monaco's engagement ring was a 12 carat emerald-cut diamond solitare.

PRINCESS - A variation of the emerald cut, which is square rather than rectangular. This stone is widely chosen today as a popular solitare ring style.

HEART - Considered a fancy shape cut in the heart style, consult your jeweler to find out about the specific guidelines for this shape stone.

*CARAT - Carat is often confused with size even though it is actually a measure of weight. One carat is equivalent to 200 milligrams. One carat can also be divided into 100 "points." A .50 carat diamond is the same as 50 points or 1/2 carat diamond. Larger stones are less common thus more expensive. However, the value of a stone cannot be determined by carat weight alone. Cut and mounting can make a diamond appear larger (or smaller) than its actual weight. So shop around and talk to your jeweler to find the right stone and setting to optimize the beauty of your ring.

*CLARITY - Very few diamonds are flawless. Fortunately, with the exception of step-cut stones, imperfections in stones rated SI2 or above are not visible to the naked eye. The fewer the flaws, the more valuable the diamond. Inclusions are natural identifying characteristics such as minerals or fracture, appearing while diamonds are formed in the earth. They may look like tiny crystals, clouds or feathers. To view inclusions, jewelers use a magnifying loupe and inclusions are ranked on a scale of perfection known as clarity, ranging from F (flawless) to I (included), based on the visibility of inclusions at a magnification of 10x. Some inclusions can be hidden by a mounting, thus having little effect on the beauty of the diamond. The greater the diamond's clarity, the more brilliant, valuable and rare it is.

*COLOR - Diamonds are rated on a color scale from D to Z. At the upper end of the scale (D to F), the stones are colorless and at the lower end (S to Z), they are light yellow. The less color in a diamond, the more valuable it is - although brown, blue, pink, and yellow diamonds are expensive because of their rarity. Ask your jeweler to show you a variety of color grades next to one another to help you determine your color preference.

WHAT TO SPEND - When you start to think about buying a diamond - and the love it will symbolize - you naturally want the best you can afford and a beautiful stone you will treasure forever. Diamonds can be found in a range of price and you are certain to find one that suits your taste and what you plan to spend. If you are about to buy an Engagement Ring, you may want to consider spending the commonly accepted guideline of two months' salary. But it is up to you to settle on a diamond that will truly represent your deepest emotions and the promise for the future you will share.

DESIGN YOUR OWN RING - If the thought of creating your own masterpiece is a bit overwhelming, you can find a reputable jeweler that will help you bring your ideas to an actual design. It is best to look at styles in magazines and jewelry stores to get ideas and once you narrow down what you like, convey this to your jeweler for a sketch or make the drawing yourself. This will enable you to get the exact shape of the center and side stones, the type of band and color of gold, white or yellow, or possibly even platinum. You can even design a matching band for the groom.