Many things are said about diamonds from Jule Styne/Marylin Monroe's: “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” to Elizabeth Taylor's "Big girls need big diamonds". That said, the diamond is the most sought after element in women’s jewelry. It’s surprising that we as consumers know so little about selecting quality diamonds for our jewelry. Because diamonds are so valuable, a uniform scoring system is needed to compare one stone to another. The 4Cs method for evaluating a diamond’s value was created by the Gemological Institute of America for this purpose. This method evaluates the Carat weight, clarity, color and cut of each stone providing metrics for comparison of value between stones. Carat Weight - Diamonds, like other gemstones, are weighed using a carat metric. One carat is equivalent to .2 grams and in diamond terms is expressed as 100 points. Because diamonds are so valuable, the carat weight in most of the jewelry we wear is 1 carat (100 points) or less. Color - The value of each diamond is also determined by it’s color. The most valuable diamonds are colorless. Most diamonds we purchase are near-colorless or very slightly yellowed. Diamond color is graded by comparing each stone to the color of known stones. Color rating is expressed using the letters D-Z with D being colorless approaching Z as the color increases. Many of the color differences in grading diamonds are invisible to the untrained eye but the grades can represent significant value in regards to cost. Clarity - Diamonds form deep within the crust of the earth through processes that are imperfect. Therefore, most diamonds contain small internal inclusions such as bubbles or knots and/or external blemishes such as scratches. According to the GIA’s grading scale, these elements of clarity are graded with 11 scores ranging from FL (flawless) to I3 (more prominent inclusions). This grading is done under x10 magnification. Most of us have never seen a flawless diamond. Cut - The high precision 58 faceted cut contributes more to the diamond's allure than any other attribute. Three attributes determine the quality of a 58 Facet Round Brilliant Diamonddiamond's cut: brightness, fire and scintillation. Brightness is a measure of the reflected light, fire is a measure of the spectral dispersion of different colors of light, and scintillation is a measure of how much the diamond sparkles when moved. These three attributes of cut determine the cut portion of the diamond's value. Your purchase of diamonds will likely occur in association with the most special events of your life such as marriage proposal, anniversaries, or as a holiday gift. The evaluation of which engagement ring to purchase is an important task facing those considering marriage. Rings for anniversaries or holidays involve choices from among more styles of rings. In all diamond purchases, it's important to be sure of the Wide Variety of Diamond Jewelryauthenticity of the diamond jewelry you are purchasing. The Gemological Institute of America's diamond grading method is accepted widely for it's precision in rating the value of a diamond. Always ask for a GIA certificate when purchasing your diamonds.