Are you searching for the perfect diamond solitaire engagement ring?  Diamonds are a girl’s best friend and choosing the best diamond depends on the 4C’s or how diamonds are graded. There are many designer diamond rings look-alikes in the industry today like cubic zirconia that look and feel like diamond but cost less. However, nothing beats the real thing.
 

How to Read your Diamond Solitaire Engagement Ring
 

The GIA or Gemological Institute of America have released guidelines that are used to determine the value of diamonds. Understanding how the diamonds are graded can help you understand the value of your diamonds.
 

Before grading the diamonds, the stone should not have been cut or set into the metal setting. This is because the metal affects the color of the stone which can affect its grade levels.  The GIA used a lettering system to identify the presence of colors on the diamond designer rings. The system is only applicable for colorless diamonds as fancy or coloured diamonds have their own grading system.
 

Color Grades: The grade measures the brilliance in the diamond that allows the light to pass through.

 

• D-E-F = Colorless Diamonds. Often rare and extremely expensive

• G-H-I-J = Nearly colorless diamonds

• K-L-M =Faintly tinted, yellowish in color

• N-O-P-Q-R = Lightly tinted, the color is visible to the naked eye

• S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z = Yellow to brownish, color is visible even if the diamonds are already mounted or set.

Diamond Clarity: This measures the flaws a diamond might contain whether internally or externally or both. This includes bubbles and non-diamond minerals that lower the value of the diamond itself.

  

• F = Flawless

• IF = Internal flaw, some surface flaw, extremely rare

• VVS1-VVS2 = Very, Very Slightly Included – minute inclusion that is not visible to the naked eye and will require intervention of magnifying machine for inclusions to be seen.

• SI1-SI2 = slightly included – the inclusions are readily seen by using 10x magnification but is invisible to the naked eye.

• I1-I2-I3 = included – the inclusions are visible to human’s eyes.

Carat: The carat measures the weight of the diamond.The bigger the diamond in respect to its carat, the more expensive it is.
 

Cut: The right cut of the diamond ensures that the light will reflect well creating a brilliant effect.
  

Following the grade level will help ensure that you will find the perfect solitaire designer engagement rings for your loved one.