The Basics of Diamond Buying

By Laurel Critchfield

There are several different aspects that go into buying the perfect diamond for your engagement. The four most important qualities of a diamond are the four C's: cut, color, clarity, and carat. The cost of a diamond depends on each of these characteristics. The more ‘perfect' the diamond is according to the four C's the more rare it is. Rarer diamonds cost more, and can get very expensive.

photo by Geoffrey Fairchild

Cut:

The most obvious quality of a diamond is the cut. It is the first thing most people notice about a ring. There are several very common diamond cuts, but there are several very unique and rare cuts as well. The two most common cuts are the Round Brilliant Cut and the Princess Cut. The Round Brilliant Cut is just what it sounds like, a round diamond. This cut creates the most sparkle of any of the cuts. The Princess Cut is a square shaped diamond. It also has a high degree of brilliance. It tends to be slightly cheaper than the Round Brilliant Cut.

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