CUT

Cut is the first (and most important) of the C's. The cut of the diamond refers to how well-proportioned the dimensions are. This is the single largest factor that creates the sparkle and brilliance of the diamond.

Ideal : This represents the best possible cut and is very rare. Nearly all light that enters the diamond is reflected.

Very Good : This cut represents the top 10%-15% of diamond cut quality. Hard to distinguish from an ideal cut to the naked eye. High light reflection at a lower cost than Ideal.

Good : This cut represents roughly the top 20%-30% of all diamonds. It reflects most of the light, but less than the very good and ideal cuts.

Fair and Poor: Appearing much more dull, 30%-40% of all diamonds fall into these cut categories. New World Diamonds does not offer any products graded as fair or poor as they do not meet our commitment to quality.

COLOR

Color is graded on a scale ending in Z, The rarest and most expensive are diamonds are graded D,E and F. Diamonds with more color than Z, or in other shades such as orange, pink, blue, etc. are classified as "Fancy Colored Diamonds".

Diamond color should only be determined by a reputable grading authenticator such as IGI.

To determine the correct color, all submitted diamonds are compared to an internationally accepted master set of stones, the colors of which range from D, or colorless (the most sought after) to Z, the most yellow/brown - aside from "fancy" yellow.

CLARITY

Clarity is defined in two variables, inclusions and blemishes. In order to grade the clarity, it is necessary to observe the number and nature of the imperfections. Inclusions are enclosed within a diamond, while blemishes are external.

I1, I2, I3 - Visible flaws and blemishes noticeable with the human eye. New World Diamonds does not offer these poor grades.

SI1, SI2 - Slightly included diamonds. Inclusions are clearly noticeable at 10x magnification and can possibly been seen on the side by the naked eye.

VS1, VS2 , VVS1, VVS2 - Very slightly and very very slightly included diamonds. Minor inclusions ranging from difficult (VVS1) to somewhat easy (VS2) to see only with the aid of 10x magnification. These are difficult to spot any flaws with an untrained naked eye.

I.F. - Internally Flawless. Blemishes, if any, can only be seen under a microscope. Considered essentially perfect, I.F. is extremally rare and carry a premium market cost compared to all other grades.

CARAT

Carat (ct.) is the measurement used to determine the weight or size of a diamond. One carat weighs 1/5 of a gram and is divided into 100 points, so a diamond weighing 1.07 ct. is referred to as "one carat and seven points."

It is important to note that diamonds of the same weight don't necessarily have the same size appearance. If cut too shallow or deep, a diamond may look small for their weight.

Diamond costs - Both lab created and natural diamonds rise exponentially with carat weight. For example, a 2-carat diamond of a given quality is always worth more than two 1-carat diamonds of the same quality.