There are four C’s to note when choosing a pair of diamond earrings. These are important to note especially if it is the main or focal gem in your earring. The first C is “Cut”. Cut involves two factors: the shape of the diamond and the quality of the cut. Three of the most common are the brilliant cut, the princess cut and the emerald cut. The cut of the diamond will determine how brilliant its shine is and the higher the quality of the cut the higher the price will be. Less popular cuts like pear and emerald are often a bit cheaper because they are less in demand.

The second C is “Color”. Color varies because diamonds are a natural substance, they are not always crystal clear. They come in different colors yellow, pink and red, with the last two being the more expensive of all. Color is a very important factor in diamond earrings because the lighter the color the more they will sparkle and draw attention to your face.

The third C is “Clarity”. Clarity refers to the number of imperfections found in your diamond. Imperfections or inclusions affect the way light is reflected by the stone, so the clearer the gem, the more expensive it is. Most imperfections can only be seen at a very close distance, so you can save money on diamond earrings by finding a pair with a few imperfections.

The fourth C is “Carat”. Simply put carat refers to the size of the diamond with one carat equal to about 200 mgs. An honest diamond seller will have jewelry marked with ‘ct’ for carat or ‘ctw/tcw’ for total carat weight. When buying earrings with diamonds, look for the tcw. Diamond earrings are bought in pairs and so they should have two diamonds of equal size. Remember that each of the four C’s affect the diamond’s value in some way and that these four C’s are what the professionals look at. Now that you know about the four C’s you can ask professional questions before buying your diamond earrings.

Years ago, women wore diamond rings that were called cocktail rings. They were used for fancy dress and not worn all of the time. To the contrary, diamond engagement rings are worn all of the time and many women never remove them. Diamond engagement rings often come with a wedding band as well, as part of a set.

When you are choosing diamond rings, you need to be sure that the ring is set in a hard, precious metal. Gold or platinum is used in diamond rings as it is strong enough to hold the gem. The best type of metal is either 18 or 14 karat gold or platinum. While 24 karat is considered to be pure gold weight, it is too soft to hold fine gems like diamonds.

In addition to looking at the setting, which is the metal ring in which the diamond will be set, you should also be sure of the quality of the diamond. A one karat diamond is large and considered standard for diamond engagement rings. You can go smaller, if this is what your budget allows. You can also have more than one gem in the diamond ring itself. Sapphires are often part of diamond engagement rings as are diamonds.

The quality of the diamond is important. You may be able to get a deal at a discount jeweler, but often the diamonds that are offered are flawed. When choosing diamond rings, especially something as special as diamond engagement rings, it pays to go with a jeweler you can trust. Look for one that has been in business for a long period of time and has a solid reputation.

Diamond rings can also be purchased as anniversary rings. Some women receive five year anniversary rings as diamond rings after they are married five years. This ring consists of five diamonds. Men also wear diamond rings, usually on their pinky finger, although they can also wear them in their wedding band as well.

Diamond engagement rings should fit not too tight, but so that they will not slip off. When buying any type of diamond rings, sizing is important. Many jewelers will resize the rings, although any jeweler is usually able to size any type of ring and will usually charge a little bit of money for this service.