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You thought the proposal was the hardest part? When you set out to select the perfect engagement ring, you will be bombarded with terminology that will leave you baffled. The language of carat, cut, clarity and color (known as the Four C’s) is not something a person deals with on a daily basis unless they are a jeweler. In this article we will attempt to decipher what some of the terms mean and how they apply to buying a diamond engagement ring.

Color
Interestingly, it is the lack of color in diamonds that is the most valued. In white (clear) diamonds, there is, in reality, an absence of color. The less the color pigmentation in the diamond, the whiter or clearer it is. The clearer or whiter the diamond, the rarer it is, and thus, the higher the value placed on it. One red hot recent trend in engagement rings is for the ring to be set with a colored diamond. Diamonds come in colors ranging from yellow to pink. With the choice of a colored diamond for your engagement ring you will be adding a modern look to the traditional diamond engagement ring.

Clarity
The clarity of a diamond is defined as the lack of inclusions or marks within the stone. An inclusion is a naturally occurring crystal or cloud within the diamond. A rating system has been developed for diamonds to reflect their clarity. Flawless diamonds are extremely rare and can only be determined by a trained jeweler using a loupe. Flawless diamonds are graded as FL; internally flawless diamonds with only surface blemishes as IF, diamonds with very, very slight inclusions are graded as VVS1 and VVS2; those with very slight inclusions are graded VS1 and VS2, those with some inclusions are graded as S1 and S2 and those diamonds with imperfections observable with the naked eye are graded I1, I2 and I3.

Carat Weight
Do not be confused by thinking of carat weight as a reflection of the physical size of a gem. Carat weight is not about the size but rather the weight of the diamond. Diamonds are referred to in carats but be aware that this is not a statement of their size; it is a statement of their weight as measured in points or carats. 100 points is equal to one carat weight. For instance, if you are looking at a 25 point diamond, it is simply another way of stating that this is a ¼ carat diamond or that this diamond weighs ¼ carat weight. In general, the higher the carat weight of a diamond, the more valuable it is. However, the value is mitigated by the other 3 of the Four C’s. In other words, a flawless diamond with high carat weight will be much more valuable than a flawed diamond with high carat weight. Inclusions, poor color or poor cut all decrease the value of a diamond.

Cut
The cut of a diamond is critical to the appearance of a diamond, or any other gem for that matter. Cut is the term used to describe the angles and proportion selected by the gem cutter in an effort to maximize the stone’s brilliant appearance. It is the cut of a diamond that allows for sparkle. Cut is the term describing the way the literal cutting process enables the bounce of light from facet to facet. Cut is not to be confused with shape of the finished diamond.

Shape
The shape of a diamond is the literal shape of the finished, polished stone. There are nine common shapes for diamonds: Round, Oval, Princess, Marquis, Pear Shaped, Emerald, Radiant, Heart and Asscher. For engagement rings, the round diamond has long been the most popular by far. The classic, traditional engagement ring is considered to be a solitaire, round diamond set in platinum or yellow gold. The term “fancy shapes” refers to any shape other than round.

In Conclusion
Learning the correct diamond terminology will make your engagement ring shopping much less confusing. By knowing the terms you will be assured of buying the most perfect diamond engagement ring possible.