The " Four C's" of Buying a Diamond:

CUT
Every diamond regardless of its shape gets it brilliancy and scintillation by cutting and polishing the diamond facets to allow the maximum amount of light that enters through its top to be reflected and dispersed back through its top.

COLOR
Diamonds are found with a range of colors. From faint yellow or brown through to the very rare pinks, blues, greens and other colors known as "Fancies". However, the best color for a diamond is no color. It is a totally colorless diamond that allows white light to pass effortlessly through it and be dispersed as rainbows of color. 

CLARITY
To determine a diamond's clarity, it is viewed under 10-power magnification by a trained eye. Most diamonds contain very tiny natural birthmarks known as inclusions. However, the fewer and smaller the inclusions are, the less likely it is that they will interfere with the passage of light through the diamond, and the more beautiful the diamond will be. Diamonds, more than any other gemstone, have the capability to produce the maximum amount of brilliance. A diamond that is free of both inclusions and surface blemishes is very rare and therefore more valuable.

CARAT-WEIGHT
The weight of the diamond is measured in carats. One carat is divided into 100 "points", so that a diamond of 75 points weighs .75 carats. Carat-weight is the easiest of the 4C's to determine. But two diamonds of equal weight can have very unequal value, depending on the cut, color and clarity, fine quality, can be found in diamonds of all shapes and sizes.

Diamonds are cut into a number of shapes, depending on the nature of the rough stone. The most popular are round, marquise, oval, pear, heart and emerald, and the choice is largely a matter of personal preference. Whatever the shape, a well-cut diamond is the work of a master diamond cutter. When cut to good proportions, the diamond is better able to handle light, creating more scintillation, more sparkle.