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Before ever buying a high quality diamond for your wedding ring, band or wedding set you must first understand the four C's of diamond hunting.

Diamond Shapes - loose diamonds come in a variety of popular shapes. These cut and shaped diamonds are placed into the setting or mounting of a ring. The top shaped diamonds include princess, marquise, oval, round, heart, emerald, radiant asscher and pear-shaped.

You should try on several diamond shapes before deciding on which shape looks best on your hand. You should also consider the size of the band and diamond. Smaller hands, thin hands and full hands may all look differently wearing the exact same ring.

The most popular diamond shapes are the round and princess shaped diamonds. These are also the
most popular solitaire diamonds set in the majority of engagement rings.

Shape vs. Cut - The shape of a diamond is the actual geometric shape or look of the diamond.

The cut of the diamond refers to the angles and alignments of the facets. These man made facets influence the beauty and brilliance of the diamond. A great diamond cutter will create an almost perfect diamond. A poor cutter will only create a pretty stone.

Read more about the cut below as you learn about the 4 C's. ::

Top 10 Things To Know Before Buying A Diamond

1. Compare diamond prices, have a ballpark price in mind.
2. Find a trusted diamond seller through referrals, family and friends.
3. Know which shape of diamond you prefer. (Princess Cut, Marquise)
4. Learn about the 4 C's. Learn about the 4 C's. (below)
5. Pick a wedding ring style. (Domed, Milgrain, Fancy, Flat, Braided)
6. Decide on what type of setting the diamond will have. (Prong, Channel)
7. Ask to see the diamond certification from AGS or GIA.
8. You can negotiate the price of a diamond just like a car.
9. You can have a diamond independently appraised.
10. Ask about diamond insurance.

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The Important 4 C's of Diamond Buying
The main characteristics of a diamond...

Carat
The size of a diamond is defined by its weight, which is expressed in carats. One carat weighs one-fifth of a gram, and is divided into 100 points - like pennies to a dollar. The larger the diamond the more rare and costly it is. However, depending on their color, clarity and cut, two diamonds of the same carat weight can vary widely in their value.

Cut
A diamond that is masterfully cut displays maximum brilliance and fire. Cut and proportion are extremely important because they have the greatest influence on the sparkle and value of a stone. A diamond that is well cut reflects light from one facet to another and disperses it back through the top of the stone.

Color
A diamond's body color can range from totally colorless to light yellow. The whiter or more colorless the stone, the more costly, because the absence of color is more rare. Also, the less color in the stone, the easier it is for light to pass through and be dispersed back into the spectrum of colors, like a rainbow.

Clarity
Nature is rarely perfect. So it is very rare to find a diamond that is completely pure or free of inclusions - minerals or crystals trapped within the stone at the time it was formed. Without ten-power magnification, you may never see these tiny inclusions. But they are the fingerprint that makes each diamond unique.

The information above is copyrighted and cannot be copied and used on another site. We would love to have you link to this page if you find this wedding bands information valuable.