The process of buying a diamond ring is attached to many different occasions. Obviously, you might be in search of one if you intend to soon get engaged, but you might also consider one for a Mother’s Day gift or for a very special birthday. Of course, these are more traditional reasons, but you can determine which celebrations are causes for such a gift, since everyone values the many milestones of life differently. Regardless of their preferences, though, you can be sure that they will greatly appreciate your sentiment. You should know, however, that as a gift, there are many other choices you will have to make, so you may want to seek the help of a professional jeweler. You can find them at your local mall, in a department store, or even online. While you may be tempted to visit your local store for the sake of convenience, keep in mind that you can often get the same high-quality merchandise online for significantly lower prices.

The cut of the diamond is probably the first thing you will learn about. Although the stone itself seems very small and indistinctive, there are many different ways that a jeweler can shape a diamond.

Pear cut is also somewhat traditional and looks a bit like a teardrop. Another classic shape is the Marquise cut which actually resembles a football. Princess cut is very popular too, and basically the same cut as a round diamond, but cut into a square shape.

You can also find stones shaped in Emerald, Oval, Asscher, Cushion, Radiant, and Heart cuts. As you can imagine, each cut offers different benefits and characteristics so learn as much as you can about them to discern which one best suits the person you are giving it too.

Finally you will also need to consider carat weight and clarity. Both of these are important because a diamond ring is really only as good as its shine. Of course, the size of the stone will catch more light and cast more shine, but the clarity is what gives it the overall brilliance.

While carat weight determines the size of the stone, the level of clarity will tell you how much you will enjoy it because clarity describes how the diamond reacts to light.

The better your diamond’s clarity, the more brilliance and shine it will have. This, after all, is the desired effect, and is the reason why different retailers can sell the same carat diamond of the same cut in the same setting at two significantly different prices.