The diamond is unsurpassed in the hierarchy of gems. Its elegance has been treasured since its discovery.

Whether you have experienced buying diamonds for engagement rings before or not, you may be unsure as to why one is worth $3000 while another one is only worth $300. What goes into determining the price of a diamond?

The physical weight of a diamond is referred to as its “carat”. The value of a diamond is directly proportional to its size. The larger the diamond, the more valuable it is, because larger diamonds are less common. Greater size makes the diamond more spectacular, and therefore increases the purchase price.

After carat weight is obtained, the next aspect that can cause price deviation is the clarity. You can determine the clarity of a particular diamond by a number of features. The term inclusions refers to imperfections inside the diamond, while blemishes refer to imperfections on the surface.

The number of inclusions as well as their size and tint all factor into the overall clarity score, as do the number and size of surface blemishes. A flawless diamond is at the top end of the clarity scale, referred to as ‘pure’. An inexpensive diamond may carry with it the classification of ‘heavily included’.

Therefore the more severely included a diamond is with crystals, feathers, or other types of internal and external flaws, the lower its value. These deformities are due to the cooling process of the diamonds against other materials. Clarity is highly prized, especially in larger carat diamonds where the imperfections are more detectable.

Color is the next element that affects price. Although clarity is important, there are special cases where under certain conditions underground a diamond may have taken on a certain coloration that actually increases its value.

There is a scale of coloration that ranges from “D,” where no color is present, to “Z,” where color is easily visible. There is a spectrum known as “beyond Z,” where the colors are rich and vibrant within the diamond and are referred to as fancy colors.

Cut is the final factor in diamond grading. This is an often forgotten element of diamonds, but it is extremely important, as it gives this remarkable stone its ability to come alive.

A diamond that sparkles and glitters can be said to have ‘fire’. The actual rating system uses common words like good, average, and irregular. The bottom line though is if you want your diamond to sparkle even in dim light, then you need to make sure the cut is impeccable, and that will cost you more money.

Understand the 4 elements that make a diamond a special and precious gem: carat, clarity, color and cut. Knowing the difference between a dud and a dazzling diamond will be the difference between money spent poorly and money spent with wisdom.

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