Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. If you are searching bridal diamond rings to find the perfect one for your girl, there are some essential things you might want to know about jewelry, and diamonds in particular. While a diamond is a diamond, there are vast differences in the types of stones, including cut, color, clarity and carat weight. These differences will affect the look, price and quality of diamond rings. Finding the perfect stone is not an impossible mission, however. Here’s a quick lesson on the basics, so you will understand the “diamond talk” you will hear now that you are shopping.

CARAT WEIGHT

The carat weight refers to the weight, not size of the diamond. Diamond rings can be classified in two ways; solitaires are a single stone on a band, or you can have a ring that has multiple stones. When referring to carat weight, a solitaire will mean the one stone that is on the band. Of course, it does not have competition. When you get to multi-stone rings, there are two weights. One is the “total carat weight” and refers to the combined carat weight of all the stones. It is important to know the center stone weight as well, to help you have a good idea of what you are looking at. The larger a diamond gets, the more expensive it is. For example, you could purchase a ring with a total carat weight of one carat for less than a one carat solitaire, depending on the other qualities of the diamond. Let’s talk about the other qualities to look for.

CUT

You will quickly find that not all stones are the traditional round diamond. Diamond rings come in offerings of marquis, emerald, pear, princess and oval cuts, and also have smaller stones frequently inset known as baguettes. The traditional round stone is cut into many angles and reflects the light very well. This gives the diamond its sparkle, and explains the long lasting popularity of the round diamond. As other preferences and trends have developed, many other shapes have developed popularity. The cut of a diamond can affect its ability to reflect light if not done well. While the cut is a highly personal preference, keep in mind that some cuts will appear more dazzling than others.

CLARITY

When diamonds are forming, often occlusions can occur. This can be something as invisible to the naked eye as a cloudy spot concealed with a good cut of the diamond, to visible characteristics such as carbon spots in the diamond. Carbon spots can appear as a black speck floating in the center of the diamond. Diamond rings are valued for the beauty, and the clarity of a diamond should be stated by the jeweler. As the level of clarity decreases, the price of the diamond should be a little lower.

COLOR

Since part of the pleasure of owning diamond rings is the sparkle, color is an important factor to consider. The color range starts at D and moves down to N-Z. The D range is nearly colorless, which will allow the most light to reflect through. The closer to D, the more you can expect to pay for your diamond. Once you get to K-M, expect a faint yellow stone that still show a tint of color once mounted in diamond rings. While diamonds will be certified a certain color, look at the stone and decide how you feel about it. Many of the color differences may not be visible to an amateur.

So, now you know the “Four C’s” of diamond rings. When shopping, decide what qualities are important to you. Keep the setting in mind as well. Some rings are set high, and for someone who knocks things a lot, this can keep the ring and stone unprotected. Others are set in, which may not reflect the light as well. Try on different styles, then find the best ring for your loved one and enjoy the years with one another. After all, diamonds are forever.