Are your tired of dull jewelry with no lustre? When was the last time your jewelry stood out more than your dress? Settling for second best?

These questions and many others, are the reasons why your jewelry collection doesn't get the attention it deserves. A fabulous Platinum 3 Sided Diamond Eternity Band or a glorious 14k White Gold Necklace With Multi Circle Diamond Pendant Center, is what your collection needs.

When looking for quality diamonds whether they be loose diamonds or even wholesale diamonds, there are a few hard an fast buying rules that you should really know.

The best place to start to find your self a good diamond, would be to explore what is known as the four C's. Loosely, what this means is colour, clarity, cut and carat weight. These factors contribute to the beauty and value of a diamond. So whether you are looking for a ring, necklace or even a bracelet, you are sure to get the very best deal.

Colour - Contrary to popular belief the diamond is not truly colourless. The colourless diamond or sometimes called the white diamond, is what other stones are compared with. The diamond is defined by a grade, starting at (d-e-f) which is colourless going upto (s-t-u-v-w-x-y-z) which is a tinted diamond, usually yellow and is visible to your naked eye.

Irradiation and heat treatment - can turn a brown and yellow diamond into a coloured beauty, this colour is usually permanent and more effective then older techniques that were once used. A naturally coloured diamond is very expensive and should come with a certificate!!

The Grade Of A Diamond Effects It's Price, But It Is Not The Only Quality Of A Diamond You Should Look For...

Clarity- This term is used to describe the clearness of the diamond, to find yourself a rock with perfect clarity is rare and expensive. It tells you whether your diamond has flaws present or if they are absent. The categories your diamond could fall into are:

• (F) Flawless - no internal or external inclusions.

• (IF) Internally Flawless - no internal inclusions, slight external inclusions.

• (vvs1 &vvs2) which mean very, very slightly included.

• (vs1 & vs2) which is very slightly included.

• (SI1 & SI2) which is slightly included and (I1 & I2) and these are inclusions that are obvious. This is something which even the best of jewelers can have trouble with and it can have an effect on the...

Cut - This tells us about the shape and proportions of a diamond, The cut of a diamond is essential to its beauty. But if the cut is poor, even if the colour and clarity are superb, the diamond will lack that famous sparkle they are known for..

Carat - This tells you how much your diamond weighs.

• (ct) is the weight of a single stone.

• (ct TW) this refers to the total weight of multiple stones.

• (points) refer to the carat definition for a smaller diamond.

There are 100 points in a carat, so 0.05 carat stone would be 5 points (1/5 carat) and 0.25 carat stone would be 25 points (1/4 carat).

Once You Have The Diamond You Want, You Can Make It Look Bigger Than It Really Is!

Here are a few techniques to purchase a gemstone that looks bigger than its real carat and weight:

• Go for a fancy shape - these diamonds usually look larger than round ones of the same weight, especially elongated shapes such as the oval, marquise and pear.

• Try a pave setting - this setting looks like a continuous surface of diamonds, but is really only made up of small diamonds set alongside each other into little holes, their surfaces nearly level with the setting. Tiny beads are made from the surrounding metal to hold the diamonds in place. So what happens is that it becomes difficult to distinguish one stone from another, making you think the wedding ring has larger stones than it really does!

• How about an illusion setting? - The diamond is mounted to a mirror-like plate before it is set into the band, making it seem larger, with more brilliance. The only downside is that repair can be a little difficult.

• What about a Bezel Set Diamond? - a diamond in a bezel setting, the stone is encircled by a rim. White gold or platinum will work

  and enhance a white diamond, making it appear bigger. A bezel setting in yellow gold can throw a yellowish tint onto the diamond.

Now you have an insight into the jargon and styles you find when buying a diamond, searching for the best possible diamond for the budget you have should be a piece of cake or even a carat!