Buying diamonds may be more challenging than you had originally thought, so we’ve put together a simple diamond buying guide. If you thought this would be a straight forward process you might have been a little bit surprised. Just a bit of knowledge can help you find the right diamond for your specific needs. Many people know the four C’s but not many people know of the fifth which is just as important.

Cut: Always ask about the cut when looking at a diamond. The cut is going to affect the brilliance of the diamond. Look at many different cuts to see which ones appeal to you most. The most common cuts are princess, round, marquise, and baguette cuts.

Clarity: Naturally occurring diamonds will have some flaws, also known as inclusions. The fewer flaws the higher the clarity of a diamond. When buying a diamond you should look at the clarity rating as those who have few inclusions are more valuable and more brilliant in appearance because they are brighter.

Color: Always look at the color of diamonds and compare them to one another when possible. A colorless diamond is considered perfection so the less yellowing or off white colors in the diamond the better. The less color the more shine you will get so when shopping for diamonds always look at the color.

Carat Weight: The carat weight is the important because this is how the size of the diamond is measured. The larger diamonds are more expensive because they are bigger but also because they are more rare than the smaller diamond.

Certificates: You need to ask about certificates when buying diamonds. Certificates include a grading report that will allow you to look at a complete guide to your specific diamond. The certificate is provided by a diamond expert or professional that uses industry standards to grade each diamonds using gemological instruments.

You may also be interested in a little more in-depth diamond buying guide.