When I started thinking about getting engaged, I did some online research. I quickly discovered the concept of the 4Cs. Simply put these are the basic components of a diamond and society (and your girlfriend/finance) are likely pushing you to buy a ring that scores high across each C.
What are the 4cs:
| The 4Cs Of Diamonds(your cheat sheet) | Cheat sheet for what you need to know | How important is this? | Why your girlfriend cares? |
| Cut | Dimensions of the diamond | Most important of the 4cs | Has the biggest impact on the sparkle of diamond. Optimize for Cut. |
| Color | You want lack of color; absence of color means nicer diamond | Second most important of the 4cs | The less the color, the higher grade. Your girlfriend will want to not see coloring in the diamond. |
| Carat (Weight) | Total weight, not just seize | Not related to sparkle (see: cut); in general, the bigger the weight, the pricier the ring. | Is your future wife going to be an office where they compared ring sizes during lunch? If so, she will want a bigger ring. |
| Clarity | Least important | Microsoptic flaws exist in diamonds, just like they exist in all of us (and our relationships evidently). |
Beyond the 4cs, I learned about 2 other variables that mattered a lot and came up time and time again in the buying process: shape and certification.
| The Extra Letters(your cheat sheet) | Cheat sheet for what you need to know | How important is this? | Why your girlfriend cares? |
| Shape | Round, Princess, Emerald, Oval, Pear, Heart, Cushion | It’s not very important and won’t impact the price of the cut. More of a style thing. | Makes for good conversation; she might want a ring in a certain geometric form factor |
| Certification | Independent verification of the diamond and potentially where its from (i.e no blood diamonds) | Not important if you are buying from a legit online retailer of rings. | Feels good to wear a ring if you know the story behind it. |
I didn’t have this cheat sheet when I bought my ring and it would have been helpful to not only have the definitions but understand their relative importance. If you want to get a great ring without breaking the bank, optimize for cut and color. If you want to bling your finance out, ensure that the carat is heavier (and therefore larger).