Diamond

The word "diamond" has become synonym to beautiful and extravagance. However, there is a lot more to these pretty stones. A diamond is also defined as an allotrope of carbon. Diamonds are the hardest known natural material that is also extremely pure, containing only traces of boron and nitrogen .Diamonds have been treasured as gemstones which are known to be judged by the "four Cs": carat, clarity, color, and cut.

Shape

One of the most common mistakes that diamond buyers make is confusing the shape of a diamond with the cut of a diamond. The shape of a diamond is referred to the basic form of a diamond. A few of the many exciting diamond shapes are round, emerald, heart, marquise and oval. On the contrary, the cut of a diamond refers to the capability of any shape diamond to reflect light. The shape of a diamond is simply a personal choice that the buyer makes in the process of buying a diamond.

4C's of Diamonds: Cut, Color, Clarity, Carat

Cut
Out of the 4'C's of a diamond, the cut is the most important factor because even if the diamond has the optimum color and clarity, without the brilliance, a diamond will look very dull and will not have the brilliance that gives the diamond its beauty. The cut of a diamond is the only factor that is affected by man while the rest is completely dependent on nature. The cut of a diamond ranges between ideal cut and poor cut. An ideal cut or a well-cut diamond internally reflects light to all of its mirror-like facets that then in turn reflect that light through the top of the stone. This brilliance that is reflected from the top of the diamond gives the diamond that unique sparkle and beauty that the diamonds are known for. On the other hand, if a diamond is poorly cut, the light escapes from the sides and bottom of the diamond.

Color
When it comes to the color of a diamond, the perfect color would be absolutely no color at all. The color of a diamond is graded on a scale that ranges from D, which is colorless, to Z, which is very tinted. If someone is looking for a very pure diamond color, they should go for a diamond in the color range from D to F. For someone who wants a good value out of their diamond should go for a color range from G to I which is nearly colorless and the presence of a little color would not be seen by anyone unless they are a trained gemologist.

Clarity
Diamonds with absolutely no inclusions are very rare and therefore are very expensive. The inclusions that are found in the diamonds are basically identifying characteristics such as minerals or fractures, which appear while the diamonds, are formed in the earth. These inclusions may look like tiny crystals, clouds or feathers and most of them are not visible to an unaided eye.

Carat
After deciding what Cut, Color and Clarity you are looking for in a diamond, the carat is easy to decide. The carat of a diamond is referred to the weight of the diamond. The carat of the diamond is often confused by the size of the diamond, it is important to remember that the carat of a diamond refers to the weight only. A carat of a diamond is divided into 100 points. A diamond which is a 0.50 carat can also be 50 points or ½ carat diamond.

Care

Diamonds can last for a lifetime with proper care. Diamonds are one of the hardest substances on earth and it will only scratch by another diamond. Therefore, it is very important to store your diamond jewelry sets individually so that they cannot be scratched by another diamond. Diamonds should not be worn while doing heavy work as the diamond can chip if it experiences a very hard blow. Even everyday work can loosen the setting of a diamond, therefore, it is important to go see a jeweler about every six months to have the mounting and the setting of your diamond checked. Remember, diamonds can last a lifetime and it is up to you to give it proper care.