The cut of a diamond is the most important factor to consider when determining which diamond ring to buy. The rating of a diamond’s cut will determine the best bargain, when you are looking at two comparatively priced diamonds. The precision of each cut in a diamond is extremely important because the more a diamond reflects and refracts light, the more it sparkles. A poorly cut diamond, which is one cut too deeply or too shallow, will allow light to escape through the opposite side or through the bottom of the diamond before it can reflect the light back to the surface. The objective is to prevent any light from being lost, as it bounces off all of the cut sides of the diamond, and eventually reflects back through the surface, and this is accomplished when the proper number of facets and precision angles are cut in the proper proportions, as in a well-cut diamond.

When people say that diamond rings have ‘good’ color, it is not the same as the bright, bold, colors that you might think of. In diamonds, being colorless is both rare and costly thus making these the most highly prized. For a more reasonably priced diamond ring, you may choose the yellow ones which are more prevalent. The clarity, or inner characteristics of a diamond, can only be established with a jeweler’s microscope. Flaws within a diamond and known as inclusions include specks, ripples and indentations. The fewer inner imperfections a diamond has the higher its value, but you can buy a diamond with slight imperfections that can appear as beautiful as a flawless diamond, if the cut and color are of a high quality.

Carat is the unit of weight for diamonds, with diamonds under one carat weight being discussed in terms of ‘points, with 100 points equal to one carat. Diamond prices for a bunch of smaller diamonds equaling one carat, will be much less than the price of a single stone weighing one carat. Knowing the ‘per carat cost’ of a diamond will allow you to know the actual diamond price, however, it is important to bear in mind that that even though large diamonds with a high carat weight are impressive in size. However, only after considering the cut, color and clarity can true value be determined.