The different facets of a round brilliant cut diamond.

It is the cut that enables a diamond to make the best use of light.  1. When a diamond is cut to good proportions, light is reflected from one facet to another and then dispersed through the top of the stone or bottom.  2. If the cut of the diamond is too deep, some light escapes through the opposite side of the pavilion. 3. If the cut is too shallow, light escapes through the pavilion before it can be reflected.

Many people confuse cut with the shape of a diamond.  The shape is largely a matter or personal preference and is only limited by the skill and imagination of the craftsman.  These are the six most popular shapes for diamonds of a carat or more.

Color: Although the majority of gem diamonds appear to be colorless, others can contain increasing tinges of yellow or brown, some of which are referred to as champagne diamonds.  It is a totally colorless diamond that allows white light to pass effortlessly and be dispersed as rainbows of color.  Rare stones of exceptional color - green, red, blue, pink, or amber - are known as "fancies."

Color grading scale from totally colorless to light yellow.  The difference between one grade and another are very subtle, as can be seen by the number of grades within any one category.

Clarity: Almost all diamonds contain minute traces of non-crystallize carbon or small non-diamond crystals.  Most are not discernible to the naked eye and require magnification to become visible.  Called inclusions, they are nature's fingerprint and make every diamond unique.  Minute inclusions neither mar its beauty nor endanger its beauty; however, the fewer there are, the rarer the stone will be.

	(Flawless)		(Internally flawless - minor surface blemishes)		(Very, very small inclusions)
	(Very small Inclusions)		(Small Inclusions)		(Imperfect - eye-visible inclusions)

Carat-Weight: As with all precious stones, the weight - and therefore the size - of a diamond is expressed in carats.  The carat originated as a natural unit of weight: the seeds of the carob tree.  Diamonds were traditionally weighed against these seeds, however, the system was later standardized and one carat was fixed at 200 milligrams (1/5 of a gram).

One carat is divided into 100 "points" so that a diamond of 25 points is described as a quarter of a carat or 0.25 carats.  Size is the most obvious factor in determining the value of a diamond, but two diamonds of equal size can have unequal prices, depending on their quality.  Diamonds of high quality can be found in all size ranges.