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"   Diamonds are supposed to be a girl&amp;#039;s best friend - but we say shopping for them (in the form of, say, an engagement ring) can be mighty confusing. Luckily, TV diamond expert Vashi Dominguez, Founder and CEO of online jeweller vashi.com gives us some pointers on the main factors determining the cost and value of a diamond... The most important things to consider are known as the 4 Cs of diamond shopping: Carat, cut, clarity and colour...  1. Carat Carats are the units of weight used for diamonds. Each carat is divided into 100 points. 1 Carat equals 1/5 gram. Remember that a carat is weight, not size and that a well-cut diamond may appear larger than a badly cut diamond of equal weight.  2. Colour Colour is also graded, in this case from D to Z. A diamond graded as D will be colourless, the most desirable and the most expensive. However, the difference between D and a stone graded E is not noticeable to the non-expert so you could potentially save \u00A3\u00A3\u00A3s. Once a diamond is mounted on a yellow gold ring, for example, it is generally almost impossible to tell the minute colour grade differences. 3. Cut Cut is where the skill of the diamond cutter creates the maximum shine and sparkle from the rough stone. For many centuries the priority was to get the largest possible gem that could be cut from the rough. Nowadays, the cutter is more likely to go for maximum brilliance. This is achieved by cutting the diamond so that light entering it is reflected back to the beholder.  The better the cut, the more light reflected. A well cut diamond is worth far more than a badly cut stone of equal weight. Shape is also an aspect of cut with the most fashionable shapes, currently round and square, commanding a premium over less fashionable ones. 4. Clarity Clarity denotes the number of flaws in a diamond. These are formed as the diamond is being created in liquid magma inside the Earth. Internal flaws are known as inclusions, external ones as blemishes. A jeweller will look for flaws with a loupe. He will note every flaw and grade the stone accordingly. Thanks for the top tips, Vashi - you&amp;#039;re a diamond geezer! Have you just got engaged? Or hoping to go diamond shopping this Christmas? Tweet us @CosmopolitanUK! More engagement news How to buy an engagement ring SEE celebrity engagement rings See the latest fashion and style news "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/fashion/news/a24467/diamond-engagement-ring-how-to/>