Cut

Cut determines a diamond's fire and brilliance. To make the most of this,
the diamond cutter must place each of the stone's facets and angles in exact
geometric relation to one another. A classic round brilliant-cut diamond has
58 precisely aligned facets.

Clarity

The fewer imperfections a diamond has, the greater its value.
A high-quality diamond should be relatively free of blemishes, inclusions,
clouds, feathers, chips and bruises.

Color

The purest and rarest diamonds are virtually colorless. Although many
diamonds may appear colorless to the untrained eye, the majority contain very
slight races of yellow, brown or gray. A stone's beauty and value usually increase
dramatically the more colorless it is. The spectrum ranges from light yellow, "Z," to
totally colorless, "D."

Carat

Carat is the gemologist's standard measure of a diamond's size and weight.
Size alone is meaningless; you must consider cut, clarity and color. A large
stone holds little value is it lacks fire, brilliance, purity and high-grade color.
When investing in a diamond all critical qualities of the stone should be certified
in writing.