Criteria to Use in Shopping for a Diamond Ring

Financial experts recommend that couples spend not more than three weeks' salary, or roughly 6 percent of annual income. On the other hand, many jewelry experts recommend that you invest considerably more. Couples with limited finances at the time of their engagement can certainly reset the stone or add extra stones at a later date.

The diamond industry has identified the four Cs -- color, clarity, cut, and carat weight -- to assist consumers in making educated purchases.

The majority of diamonds do appear colorless, though many that contain a hint of color. The Gemological Institute of America has a letter grading system for classifying the color of diamonds, starting with D for the slightest blue tone and spanning the alphabet to Z for the yellow stones.

The clarity of a diamond refers to the number of internal flaws contained in the stone. Diamonds, the crystallized form of carbon, may contain some impurities that are often visible only by a jeweler's microscope. The fewer number of flaws increases the value of the stone.

The cut of a diamond refers to the design of facets, including the round solitaire, marquise, oval, pear, and emerald. High-quality diamonds reflect more light and appear to have a greater sparkle. The marquise cut refers to a stone that is pointed at both ends. An emerald cut refers to a stone that is square or rectangular.

The karat of a stone is a unit of weight for precious gems equal to 200 milligrams. There are 100 points to a karat. The average size of an engagement ring today is about .75 karat.

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