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If you are going to purchase a diamond here are the 4 C's you need to know
 

CUT OF A DIAMOND: A diamond's life, brilliance, and dispersion are determined by the way it has been cut, polished, and to what proportions and symmetry it has been cut. If these cutting factors fall below standard, the appearance of the diamond will be adversely affected. When a diamond is cut to precision, it has been cut to mathematically correct proportions, allowing all the light entering from any direction to be totally reflected through the top and dispersed into a gorgeous display of color. 

CARAT: The weight or size of a diamond is measured in carats. A carat is 0.2 grams and there are 100 points (or 200 milligrams) per carat. With an accuracy of 1/100,000 ct, the IGI scales provide a highly precise diamond weight and this weight is specified on the Diamond Report to two decimal points. Many stores indicate the diamond weight on the price tag or it is sometimes stamped on the jewelry along with the gold quality mark and the registered trademark. 

CLARITY: In order to grade the clarity of a diamond, it is necessary to observe the number and nature of any internal characteristics in the stone as well as their size and position. This analysis is carried out using the IGI scope and a loupe 10x under the experienced eye of laboratory gemologists. A diamond is said to be "Internally Flawless" when it presents no internal defects under 10x magnification. "Flawless" is the highest grade of gem stone, where no internal inclusions or surface imperfections are visible under ten power magnification. "Internally Flawless" describes stones with no visible interior imperfection but having minor surface blemishes which do show under magnification. This top "perfect grade" is also extremely expensive... In 1980 a "D" Flawless one carat sold for about $60,000 where the price has been devalued lately to around $15,000.... Remember this if someone tells you that a fine flawless diamond is "an investment".... You're better off waitin' on the curb for the Publisher's clearing house van than buying a fine diamond at retail prices as an investment.... 

COLOR: Most diamonds of gem quality vary in shade from colorless to yellow. To determine the correct color, all submitted diamonds are compared to an internationally accepted master set of stones, the color of which ranges from D, or colorless (the most sought-after) to Z, the yellowiest. Other colors occur in diamonds such as brown, orange, pink, blue, etc. The most intense of these shades are determined as "Fancy" colors and mentioned on the IGI Diamond Report. The farther from colorless that a diamond's grade is, the less rare and therefore less valuable it is. When buying a diamond, take into consideration that it is often very difficult to detect the difference between a colorless diamond (D-F) and a near colorless diamond (G-H), especially when it is mounted in jewelry. Diamonds with a J-Z color grade usually have yellow shading that can be detected by the naked eye, however, a well cut stone with good proportions will still release the brilliance and fire of a lower colored diamond, dispersing light in such a way so as to create a beautiful stone. 

Officials Government Guide to Jewelry - Consumer Protection: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/guides/jewel-gd.htm

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