Jewellery (spelled jewelry in American English) refers to 
ornamental devices worn by persons, typically made with gems 
and precious metals. Costume jewelry is made from less valuable 
materials. However, jewelry can and has been made out of almost 
every kind of material. Examples include bracelets, necklaces, 
rings, and earrings, as well as items like hair ornaments or 
body piercing jewelry. Jewelry, particularly when made with 
precious materials, is generally considered valuable and 
desirable. Some cultures have a practice of keeping large 
amounts of wealth stored in the form of jewelry. Jewelry can 
also be symbolic, as in the case of Christians wearing a 
crucifix in the form of jewelry, or, as is the case in many 
Western cultures, married people wearing a wedding ring. And 
what can symbolize love and, of course, the wedding ceremony 
more than a diamond?

Diamonds are graded by four characteristics: cut, carat 
(weight), clarity, and color. All four of these properties 
determine how much a diamond is worth.

Cut - What is the proportion of the diamond? Round brilliant 
diamonds are commonly cut with 58 facets. The better 
proportioned these facets are on the diamond, the more light 
will be reflected back to the viewer's eye. This is extremely 
important. When cut properly, the diamond will sparkle more. 
Diamond cuts are measured by the table percentage, so always 
ask for it. Cut also refers to the shape such as: round, pear, 
and oval.

Carat - How big is the diamond? Larger diamonds often cost more 
per carat due to their size. There are 100 points to a carat. 
Hence a 50 point diamond is 1/2 a carat. (There are 5 carats 
to a gram.)

Clarity - How clear is the stone? Clarity ranges from flawless 
(perfect) to I (included). Here is a summary:

Color: Diamond colors generally range from D - X for white and 
yellow diamonds. D is the whitest. Around S they become "Fancy" 
yellow Diamonds. One can also find green, pink, red, blue and 
brown diamonds - though these are usually irradiated.

Diamonds are often treated. If you are concerned about getting 
true value for your money, know what you are getting. Be sure 
to read the fine print.

Diamonds with inclusions are sometimes filled with glass to 
make them appear clearer. An inclusion is an imperfection 
internal to the diamond.  Filler can be damaged by heat, 
ultrasonic cleaning, and by re-tipping. The filling does not 
repair the inclusion, it just makes it less visible. They can 
be painted to offset a yellow tinge. The paint wears off rather 
quickly.

Finally, now that you have that precious stone, here are some 
tips as to how to take care of it. Diamonds are often thought to 
be unshatterable. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Diamonds 
are brittle: If you hit a diamond hard, they WILL crack or chip 
if mishandled. Don't wear your diamond when doing rough work.

Storage: Store diamonds separately. When stored with other 
jewelry, diamonds may scratch other jewelry (or each other).

Cleaning: The best method for cleaning is a jeweler's polishing 
cloth. Many jewelers will clean your diamond ring for free if 
you are making another purchase in the store.