Cut
A stone’s cut refers to the number, placement, and shape of the facets that create a finished diamond. The way a diamond is cut has an impact on its brilliance (think princess cut, emerald cut, round, etc.).
Color
This refers to the hue of the diamond, which can vary from blue, like the Hope Diamond, to bold shades of violet, red, pink, amber, orange, and canary yellow. Yellow diamonds are far more common, so the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) created color grades for them that range from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow).
Clarity
This rates a diamond’s imperfections. The clarity depends on how clear or “clean” it is on the outside and inside when viewed with the naked eye and with a loupe (a 10x magnifying glass).
Carat
Diamonds are commonly measured in carats. (Don’t confuse this with karat, which indicates the purity of gold.) The carat is standardized at 200 milligrams. Diamond weights are also referred to in points: One carat equals 100 points.
-- Charli Penn
Aug 04, 2009
See More: Wedding Style