A diamond is valued by the relationship of cut, clarity, color and carat weight. Each of these variables affects the price that you pay for your diamond. Although perfect diamonds are extremely rare, one may find beauty in most stones.

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The most popular of all shapes of a diamond is the round brilliant cut. This shape shows the nicest balance of brilliance, scintillation and fire. The second shape favored by many people is the princess cut.

Which ever cut you desire, we will be happy to assist you in finding the diamond that best signifies your love. Please contact us or call 1-800-733-3724 to schedule a time with one of our diamond specialists.

The clarity defines how free of internal inclusions (imperfections) the diamond is. Most diamonds contain natural 'inclusions' that resemble tiny crystals. These are the birthmarks that make each stone unique. The number, size and position of these inclusions affect the value. The Gemological Institute of America clarity scale ranges from Fl (flawless) to I3 (many inclusions visible to the naked eye). The fewer the amount of inclusions, the more valuable a diamond. If the diamond is heavily included, you will be able to see the imperfections with the naked eye (without magnification).

Over the years, master diamond cutters have perfected the art of cutting. If a diamond is cut too shallow or too deep, light will escape through the pavilion (cylinder looking, bottom of a diamond) of the stone. If a diamond is properly fashioned, the maximum amount of light will be displayed through the top of the stone.

Just as a dollar is divided into 100 pennies, a carat is divided into 100 points. For example, a 50-point diamond weighs 0.50 carats. As a general rule, larger diamonds are more rare and valuable. But size does not determine beauty and brilliance. Two stones of the same carat weight can have very different values depending on their cut, color and clarity.

Note: Image size may vary depending on your browser and computer display and thus, may not reflect actual carat size.

The most valuable diamonds are free of any body color. Most diamonds have faint hints of color. These colors could be brown, gray, but most are yellow. The degree of body color determines the color grade. In a well-manufactured diamond, a stone with a warm hue of yellow faces up (appearance to the naked eye) white.