Color grade refers to the 'whiteness' of a diamond, or its lack of color.

A diamond's color has a significant impact on its appearance. While D to F color grades are considered Colorless, an untrained eye could not easily spot color within G to I grades.

If you are concerned about visible color, consider a yellow gold setting. This metal will neutralize warmer tones. Opting for a diamond with more color could allow you to invest more in a larger carat weight or quality cut grade.

Clarity grade refers to the tiny natural inclusions found within a diamond.

Inclusions found on a diamond can be considered nature's birthmarks, the distinguishing characteristics that make the stone unique. A diamond's clarity rating is based on the size, number, and location of internal and external characteristics. Known as inclusions, internal characteristics include crystals, clouds, and feathers. External characteristics, or surface irregularities, are called blemishes. As most inclusions can't be seen by the naked eye, gemologists use a ten-power (10x) microscope to rate a diamond's clarity.

Carat weight grade is a measure of a diamond's weight, and a reflection of its size. The carat is the standard unit of measurement used to indicate the weight of diamonds and precious gemstones. 1 carat is equivalent to 200 milligrams equaling 0.2 grams or 0.007 ounces. Because carat is a record of a diamond's weight – not its size – two diamonds of slightly different sizes may have the same carat weight. A diamond's size is also dependent on how evenly its weight is distributed, and the quality of its cut. Some diamonds are cut to maximize carat weight, resulting in less sparkle. A balance of quality in carat and cut is therefore recommended.

For the best value, look at diamonds slightly lighter than the carat weight you initially want. For example, instead of 1-carat diamonds, consider 0.98 and 0.99-carat diamonds. The difference in size will be negligible, but savings here can be significant.

What Is Diamond Polish?

Diamond polish influences how well light is able to pass through a diamond. It is a very important attribute in determining a diamond's overall brilliance. When choosing a diamond, it is best to pick one that is laboratory certified with good, very good or excellent polish. Diamonds with poor polish are significantly less brilliant because they have microscopic polish lines that blur the surface of the stone this also reduces the amount of light that enters or exits the diamond. Be aware that many diamonds have a poor polish because some diamond cutters reduce their costs by not spending sufficient time to properly polish a diamond.

How Is Polish Graded?

Polish is graded the same that way symmetry is graded. On a GIA report, the grades are Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair or Poor. The same applies for IGI reports, which also include ideal in their list.

Diamond Symmetry

Symmetry refers to the exactness of the shape and arrangement of facets in a diamond. Although to the naked eye finish features only have a tiny effect on appearance, symmetry is significant. In diamonds that have low clarity grades, symmetry is less important, but in diamonds with very high clarity grades, symmetry is very important.

Wavy Girdle

The girdle of a diamond should be a flat plane, parallel to the table. In this example the girdle "waves" as it wraps around the diamond.

Crown & Pavilion Misalignment

In a round diamond the top points of the pavilion mains and the bottom points of the bezel facets should meet precisely at the girdle. We can see in this example the diamond's crown and pavilion facets are misaligned.

Extra Facets

Polish is graded the same that way symmetry is graded. On a GIA report, the grades are Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair or Poor. The same applies for IGI reports, which also include ideal in their list.