For guys who have found their special someone, finding a diamond can either be a trying experience or a rewarding one. Diamonds can be both dazzling and delightful, but finding the right one is not always easy. Not all diamonds are created equally, even if they’re “real” stones. When looking for a diamond ring, diamond seekers should be very particular about their stone. They should consider in their calculations a strict diagnosis of the stone using the 4 C’s of diamond buying. These things are clarity, color, cut, and carat weight.

Diamonds, in their most natural form, have been molded over many years in very deep parts of the earth. Their creation comes at extreme temperatures and under intense pressure. Because of this, all diamonds contain inherent characteristics even after they’ve been polished. These characteristics, which are sometimes used to identify diamond quality, are known as the clarity characteristics. Though the clarity characteristics of a diamond cannot be viewed the naked eye, a simple look through a small magnifying glass will reveal the truth about a given stone. If a diamond buyer is trained to look for clarity characteristics in a stone, then this can be done manually. If not, there are plenty of jewelry appraisal experts who can help with this job.

Color is another thing to consider when buying a diamond. This is much easier for a layman to identify than the clarity characteristics, but it is equally important. When most people think of diamonds, they know the stone in its clearest form. Most would be surprised to know that diamonds actually come in a number of different colors. The best stones, however, are the ones that lack color. Diamond searchers should look to find the clearest stone that money can buy. The GIA grades the color of a diamond based upon a scale that runs from D (colorless) to Z (yellow). The closer to D on the scale a diamond is, the more valuable it is.

Choosing a cut for the diamond is where potential buyers can get creative. Though most aspects of diamond buying are somewhat non-negotiable, cut is one place where quality isn’t exactly measured by which one you choose. There are many different types of cut, including the round cut, princess cut, emerald cut, and heart cut. Round cut is probably the most popular type of cut because of the beauty that it exemplifies. Most jewelers would advise against the princess cut, as it leaves the stone open for damage and potentially chipped edges.

Carat weight is something that should be considered alongside one’s budget. It’s all about how much you have to spend. Most women would want at least a one carat diamond, given that this size has become something of a bench mark for diamond quality. A one carat diamond can cost as much as $17,000 or a lower amount depending on the quality factors held within the stone. When choosing a correct carat weight, it’s more important to consider the stone quality over how big the stone is.