We all know that diamonds are a girls best friend, but what many of us don't know is what actually constitutes a perfect diamond. The perfect diamond is defined in accordance to its colour, clarity, carat and weight. Purchasing a diamond ring entails understanding the four 'C's in order to ensure that you end up with the perfect diamond. Whilst prices vary in accordance to the value placed on the diamond itself, it's important to understand what you are getting for what you are paying.

Colour

The majority of diamonds come in the white colourless range, however diamonds can be found in a variety of colour. Diamonds are graded in accordance to their colour. Colourless diamonds are graded as a D, and as the diamond develops further colour, they are graded downwards in the alphabet. For instance, a diamond which may have yellow or brown colour in it may be graded at an F or G. Thus, diamonds graded as D are considered most valuable due to their rarity and due to light passing through the diamond effortlessly. When light passes through the diamond, it disperses colours of the rainbow, known as dispersion.

Clarity

The clarity of the diamond is graded under 10x power magnification. Thus, clarity is determined as any feature of the stone that reduces its brilliance or value. This is known as inclusions, and usually are natural occurrences within the structure of the diamond once formed. As a result, the clarity of the diamond is determined by the number of inclusions visible in the stone. The severity of inclusions found, and the location in which it is found in the diamond determine the value of the stone. Flawless diamonds are a rarity and thus extremely valuable.

Cut

The angles and proportions of the diamonds facets, as well as how well the light enters the diamond determines the cut of the stone. The cut of the diamond does not indicate the shape of the diamond, rather the cut refers to the structure of the stone. A well cut diamond reflects light from its facets and then disperses the light to the crown (top of the diamond). A deep cut diamond allows light to disperse from the bottom of the stone whilst a shallow cut diamond causes the light to escape from the bottom of the stone, preventing it from being reflected outward.

Carat Weight

The carat is the basic unit of weight measure for diamonds. The weight measure for diamonds is equal to 0.20 grams. Small diamonds are measured in points where one carat is divided into 100 points. As diamonds increase in size, the more rare and valuable it becomes.

When purchasing a diamond, it is important to consider all four factors. A larger diamond, with yellow colour and poor clarity may not necessarily be more valuable then a smaller diamond with colour grade of D, and perfect clarity. It is important to ensure that you ask questions in order to attain a diamond that suits your taste and budget.