A Diamond is Forever

Here's a quick crash course in the 4 Cs of Diamonds.

If he proposed with the most amazing engagement ring, then congratulations - you're all set!

If he proposed with a 50c plastic ring or an empty box, then you both may need a quick lesson when you set out on your ring hunt.

Shopping for a diamond can be a little more complicated than you might expect. There are FOUR key characteristics to be aware of and look out for when selecting a diamond or diamond ring. These are commonly referred to as the Four Cs - clarity, cut, colour and carat. It is common to think that the bigger the diamond (the higher the carat), the more expensive and beautiful - but this is 100% not the case. A 2 carat diamond with I3 clarity could very well be cheaper than a .8 carat diamond with F clarity. It's all a matter of taste - but here's a crash course so you know what you're looking for when viewing different diamonds.

CLARITY
Clarity refers to how "clear" the diamond is of any flaws or blemishes. These include inclusions (or diamond "birthmarks" as some call them), scratches, air bubbles or any foreign material inside the stone. Inclusions can interfere with the light passing through the diamond. The fewer the inclusions, the more brilliant and the more expensive the diamond is. Here is the scale for grading diamond clarity:
F: Flawless (no internal or external inclusions)
IF: Internally Flawless (minor surface blemishes, but no internal inclusions)
VVS1 - VVS2: Very, very small inclusions (invisible to the naked eye and still difficult to see even by the most experience grader using very high magnification)
VS1 - VS2: Very small inclusions (these inclusions can also really only be detected under magnification)
SI1 - SI2: Small inclusions
I1 - I3: Imperfect (eye-visible inclusions)

CUT
The cut of a diamond refers to its proportions and how light is reflected from it.  Well-cut diamonds allow light to filter through the top and then reflect back directly to the eye of the beholder. If the angles are correct, the light that enters will disperse properly back through the diamond's facets. However, if the diamond is (1) too shallow or (2) too deep, light can enter through the top but will escape through the diamond's bottom and sides, therefore reducing the amount of light this is reflected back to the viewer.  The grades of cuts include: ideal, premium, very good, good, fair and poor.

COLOUR
The best colour for a diamond is no colour at all. While diamonds can in fact come in any colour of the rainbow, most people focus on the diamonds in the white range.

The colours of white diamonds range from D (colourless) to Z (light yellow). A totally colourless diamond allows light to pass through it easily, thus maximising the amount of light reflected back through the top - the result is the distribution of light that reflects the colours of the rainbow.

CARAT
Carat refers to the weight of a diamond and is the easiest measurement to determine. One carat is divided into 100 points, so that a diamond of 50 points weights half a carat (.5 carats). All four "C"s are considered when valuing a diamond, which means two diamonds of equal weight (or carat-size) may be drastically different in price.