A diamond ring is arguably one of the most expensive purchases an individual will make in their lifetime.

The general rule of thumb when buying a diamond ring is that it should not cost more than two months of your annual salary, although many people far exceed this when faced with a truly spectacular diamond.

When buying a diamond it is important to consider the “Four C’s”.

4 C’s Of Buying a Great Diamond Ring

Carat

The carat of a diamond is essentially how much the gemstone weighs, with one carat being the same as 200 milligrams of weight and is often abbreviated to ‘ct’. Small diamonds are measured in points and there are 100 points in each carat. Similarly sized gems may weigh significantly different amounts due to the density or the carat of the diamond.

Most distinguished wedding rings have a carat weight of above 0.5, although for smaller hands a smaller weight of 0.3 to 0.4 carats can proportionally look perfect in the right setting.

Cut

The cut of a diamond is essential to the sparkle on any wedding ring. The cut of a diamond refers to the proportions of the gemstone in its uniformity and the depth and width of the stone. To create that magical sparkle diamonds need to be cut in a certain way. Too shallow a cut and the light is deflected towards the bottom of the stone, whilst too deep a cut leaves the light escaping out of the sides of the rock.

There are a number of different types of cuts you can have for your diamond. ‘Pear shaped’ diamonds are popular and are often used in diamond earrings. The hybrid cut combines an oval shape with a marquise edge producing an almost teardrop like shape. ‘Princess cut’ diamonds are also popular and are almost square in shape and are designed to produce maximum scintillation from a square cut. There are numerous other cuts including round, radiant-cut, marquise, oval, trillion and heart shaped diamonds available on the market.

Colour

The most popular diamonds are completely colourless (white diamonds), though some coloured diamonds can be even more sought after. There are colour treatments, which can enhance and alter the colour of any diamonds.

Yellow is one of the most common colours found in diamonds and most gemstones will exude a hue of yellow. Yellow diamonds are therefore the most affordable and compliment white diamonds and white gold settings brilliantly. Red and blue diamonds are the most valuable coloured diamonds in the world and are mined in the southern hemisphere.

Clarity

The clarity simply refers to the flaws of a given diamond. Almost all diamonds have some manner of flaw, such as blemishes on the surface of the stone or microscopic chips and cracks.

The International Diamond Council rates diamonds from loupe clean, which means they’re basically flawless, to I3, which means the flaws can be seen with the naked eye. ‘Eye clean’ diamonds are visually flawless to the naked eye, although under a magnification flaws can be seen.

Anyone purchasing a genuine diamond should receive certification, which highlights the characteristics of the diamond including its ‘Four C’s’, but when it come to the band itself, it is essential to find one that matches the worth of the diamond.

Bands are made from a range of precious and semi-precious metals, including white gold, yellow gold or rose gold as well as platinum and palladium, whilst the setting within a diamond ring is also quite important.

A solitaire diamond will stand out if put in a prong setting for example, but if more than one diamond has been bought, the buyer might want a common prong, which can hold a few diamonds at a time. There’s also cluster settings, pave settings and bezel settings.

Anyone considering buying any type of diamond jewellery should find a reputable and legitimate company that sells diamonds and can track their origins. The company should be registered and also certified by the European Gemmological Laboratory or the International Diamond Council.

There are certainly many things to consider when buying any type of diamond jewellery, and using the four C’s along with some good advice from a reputable jeweller could help you find the diamond ring of your dreams.

Author’s Bio: Matt Sears is a fashion and design student who currently works for the Samara James Jewellers. Matt is passionate about a range of fashion and style topics and also has a keen eye on fashion jewellery and accessories.

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