Diamonds
Diamonds are sold by Carat weight rather than by millimeter measurements. To understand diamond weights it is easiest to think in terms of dollars and cents. A one carat diamond is expressed as 1.00ct. A half carat diamond is expressed as .50ct. A three-quarter carat is expressed as .75ct.
Many people think of diamonds as colorless. In reality, truly colorless diamonds are quite rare. Many diamonds used in jewelry are nearly colorless with yellow or brown tints.
Diamonds have internal features, called inclusions, and surface irregularities, called blemishes. Together, they're called clarity characteristics. Clarity is the relative absence of inclusions and blemishes.
Shape refers to the outline contour of the diamond. Although Round Brilliant is the most traditional of diamond shapes, many people are attracted to the variety of Fancy Shaped diamonds available such as the Princess cut, Emerald cut, Oval cut, and Pear.
A well-cut diamond can make light perform in breathtaking ways, resulting in a magnificent display of three important diamond attributes: Brilliance, fire, and scintillation. Brilliance is the combination of all the white light reflections from the surface and the inside of a diamond. It gives a polished diamond its brightness. Fire is a word for the flashes of color you see in a polished diamond. Scintillation describes the flashes of light you see when the diamond, the light, or the observer moves.
