“Diamonds”, as the song goes “are a girl’s best friends!” Judging by the publicity and ‘cool bargains’ offered by stores, there’s not a woman or man for that matter, who escapes the lure of this precious stone. While diamonds may be the ultimate gift or investment, many of us are still in the dark as to how to go about purchasing a diamond. Here are a few must-know tips.

Every diamond comes with a certificate of gradation. The ranking process is carried out in a laboratory by expert graders, who follow the ‘Four C’s’ when categorizing this precious stone.

The COLOUR of a diamond depends on the process it underwent while it was being formed
This, unfortunately, cannot be changed. Colored diamonds are not in such great demand as white diamonds, which are actually devoid of color. When the light streams through these colorless diamonds, they sparkle brilliantly. Is it any wonder that they are more popular?

To bring out the resplendence of a diamond, it needs to be CUT. The usual number of facets on a diamond is 58. The angles of the cut have to be perfect. On this depends the luster and finish. The skilled artisan cuts the facets in such a way as to let maximum light pass through. When it’s done to perfection, the effect is dazzling. Of the ‘Four C’s’ criteria, cutting is the most important. A cutter can bring out the best in a stone, or damage it. If the cutter makes a mistake, the diamond could become brittle. Light escapes through the back of a diamond that is cut too thin. This renders the stone lusterless. Precision is what marks the diamond cutter’s trade.

Most diamonds are flawed. Unfortunately, this happens while they are being formed. The gradation for CLARITY depends on how many inclusions or flawed fragments exist in the diamond, and how large these inclusions are. The more expensive the diamond, the less flaws it has. Clarity is synonymous with brilliance. Flawless diamonds are rare. They are labeled so only after experts, who use magnifications to the power of ten, carry out high precision tests.

CARAT is a measure of weight used for precious stones or gold. The international carat has now been standardized to 200 milligrams. Carats are further segmented into points. A point is equivalent to .01carat.

Armed with these facts you can now enter a store without feeling incompetent. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. After all you have to know whether you’re making a good investment or not. Don’t limit your visit to one store. Scout around. Check out the prices and the myriad designs. If you keep the ‘Four C’s’ in mind, hopefully you’ll go home the proud owner of the best diamond and what’s more you will have got it at a reasonable price. After all a diamond is forever!