Jewelry Buying Guide

Diamond Jewelry
Cut
Cut is divided into Shape, Proportion, Polish, and Symmetry. Shape, Proportions, and facet placement, are all of great importance when cutting a diamond to its most brilliant appearance. Symmetry can describe both length to width ratio and also depth percentages. This can have the greatest effect on how a diamond shines. The Polish is how well light enters and exits the facets of the diamond. The cleaner, or more polished a facet is, the more light that will enter a diamond.
Color
Traditionally, color in a diamond is graded based on the lack of color in the diamond. The hues graded in white diamonds are actually faint tones of yellow, brown, and grays. Listed below are the color grades used to evaluate diamond color. An alphabetical scale starting at D is used to evaluate the color.
D, E, F= Colorless
G, H, I= Near Colorless
J-K= Faint Color
L-R= Noticeable Color
SZ= Obvious Color
Fancy Color - Once the color drops below the range of the scale (Z), or has a gepletely different hue than yellow, brown, or gray, it then begees a Fancy Color diamond. Fancy colors are graded on how much color and how strong it is. Diamonds gee in every color of the rainbow including blue, pink, and yellow, purple, black and many more. In general, fancy colored diamonds are rarer than colorless diamonds.
Clarity
Clarity is the grade that describes the inclusions and blemishes of the diamond. The fewer inclusions and blemishes a diamond has, the more valuable it is. Clarity can also have a direct impact on how much brilliance a stone has. If there are too many inclusions or they are in certain places of the diamond, the inclusions can block the light from reflecting and diminish the beauty of the diamond.
The following clarity grades are listed from highest to lowest:
Flawless (FL) - These show no inclusions or blemishes of any kind inside or outside of the diamond.
Internally Flawless (IF) - Internally flawless diamonds do not have internal inclusions but can have some external blemishes, such as a miniscule scratch.
Very Very Slightly Included (VVS1