At Steve Rambo Fine Jewelers we understand the significance of a diamond purchase and the enormity of the task.

Find a Jeweler and set a Budget. As a Jeweler referrals are the largest compliment we can receive. Talk with your friends, family and co-workers as to their experience in purchasing Jewelry. Research the Jewelers Credentials. As a member of the American Gem Society, we are held to stringent requirements. Established in 1934, the Society’s Core Values are Consumer Protection, Education, Ethics/Integrity, Leadership and High Standards. Less the 5% of all Jewelry Firms quality to earn the prestigious honor of being a member.

While buying a diamond, it is important to understand the 4 C’s: Cut, color, clarity and Weight.

A diamond shape not only refers to its outward appearance, but it also refers to how the stone is fashioned and the amount of facets it has. Round Brilliant Cut diamonds are one of the most popular shapes and account for more than 75% of the diamonds purchased.

Any diamond cut design that does not feature a round girdle outline is classified as a fancy shape. Like round brilliants, fancy-shape diamonds gain much of their beauty from light performance – brightness, dispersion, leakage and contrast. However due to differences in their physical and optical geometries, it is impossible for fancy shapes to have light performance as uniform as that found in a round brilliant.

However, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and Symmetry-largely depend on the attractiveness of the girdle outline. There are two types of faceting styles: brilliant, which has triangular and kite-shaped facets, and step, which has concentric rows of four-sides facets parallel to the girdle. Step-cutting is used on the traditional emerald cut. The brilliant style of faceting is used for most shapes, round, oval, pear, marquise, heart and princess. There are also new laser-cutting process that can create very unusual shapes. These uniquely shaped diamonds have particular appeal to customers looking to create a unique design.

This crash course in diamond buying will help you understand how diamonds are valued and priced-and help you decide what’s most important to you in a diamond. The easiest way to explain diamonds is using the four C’s: cut, color, clarity and carat.

Cut. The most important of the 4 C’s is the cut of the diamond, cut has the greatest effect on a diamonds beauty. The cut of the diamond is different than shape. In determining the quality of the cut, the grader evaluates the cutter’s skill in the fashioning of the diamond: technology assesses the diamond’s light performance. The more precise the cut, the more captivating the diamond is to the eye.

Color is also an important determinant for finding the diamond’s value. Gem-quality diamonds occur in many hues. In the range from colorless to light yellow or light brown. Diamonds are graded from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown). D color diamonds are extremely rare and necessarily much more expensive. Other natural colors are know as fancy – their color grading is unique.

Clarity is the measure of the internal features (inclusions) and surface characteristics (blemishes) of the diamond. Diamond clarity is graded from Flawless to Included with eleven clarity grades.

The Carat is a standard weight measurement for faceted stones. Carat weight is the most objective of the 4 C’s. It involves no estimates, comparisons or judgments.

You will not find similarity between any two diamonds. You must find out their value on a basis of 4Cs i.e. Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat while doing your diamond shopping.

Fluorescence is another characteristic of the diamond that should be considered before buying. It refers to the blue light, which is emitted by some diamonds under black UV lights. Some diamonds emit blue glow while others emit moderate glow, some don't even glow at all. Fluorescence is a complicated characteristic as it can either decrease or increase the worth of a diamond. For the colorless diamonds from the scale of D, E, F. Fluorescence is not that beneficial but for the stones that have yellowish tinge as J, strong or medium Fluorescence help in making it appear white. Consider all the above stated factors and have a happy diamond shopping experience.