Diamonds are a symbol of beauty, value and in some cases strength. Even though there are instances where other precious stones can be more valuable, in modern times the reputation of Diamond has become unparalled. Used to increase the cutting edges of drills and saws, embedded in almost every piece of fine jewelry in existence, a diamond is hard to beat. Whether you choose an engagement ring for the love of your life or diamond earrings for somebody special to you born in April, diamonds make a wonderful gift anytime of the year.
Diamonds are the hardest naturally occurring substance. They are crystals formed almost entirely of carbon. Colored diamonds are caused by impurities such as nitrogen (yellow) or boron (blue). With red diamonds being due to deformities in the structure of the stone, and green ones being the result of irradiation. Because of its hardness, the diamond is the most enduring of all gemstones. The only thing that can destroy it is intense heat.

The 4 Cs of Diamonds
Diamonds are graded and categorized by 4 characteristics. Jewelers use these criteria when they are grading diamonds.
• Cut
• Clarity
• Color
• Carat weight

Cut
It describes the quality of the cut (not the shape) of the diamond. The brilliance of a diamond depends heavily on its cut. A well cut diamond is better suited to handle light internally creating more scintillation and sparkle. Proportions, symmetry and polish are also taken into consideration. The cut quality is graded into four categories: Very Good, Good, Medium and Poor

Color
A diamond's color is at its best by not showing any color at all.
Diamonds are mined in a range of color, white to faint yellow or brown, to the very rare fancies such as pink, blue and green.

Clarity
Most diamonds contain some inner flaws, or inclusions, that occur during the formation process. The visibility, number and size of these inclusions determine what is called the clarity of a diamond. Diamonds that are clear create more brilliance, and thus are the most valuable.

Carat
A carat is the unit of weight by which a diamond is measured. The price of a diamond rises exponentionaly to its size, because large diamonds are found less commonly than small diamonds.