Diamonds are composed purely of carbon, making them the hardest gemstone in the world. A diamond's value is contingent not on only its size and weight, but on its cut, color, and clarity, also known as "The Four C's". At DDL, we recommend selecting a diamond that is accompanied by certification from a laboratory. These certificates detail the diamond’s measurement, shape, clarity, color and carat weight.

Cut:
A gemstone's cut determines the fire colored light and brilliance of a diamond. The facets act to bounce light within the diamond and back toward the eye, as do the overall proportions of the stone. For example, the classic round stone has 58 precisely aligned facets, giving it extraordinary brilliance, hence the name "brilliant-cut". The cut also refers to the shape. Diamond styles available are: round, oval, pear, princess, marquise, or heart-shaped (see chart).

Color:
The more colorless the diamond, the greater its rarity and value. Many diamonds appear colorless to the untrained eye although they contain slight traces of yellow, brown or gray. Very rarely in nature fancy colored diamonds occur and although special and costly, they are not often used in traditional engagement rings. At DDL we are happy to provide them, if you are interested in these rare diamonds. Color is graded according to the chart below. At DDL we recommend choosing from “I” color or better.

Clarity:
Clarity in the diamond refers to the quantity, size, position, nature and color of inclusions (minute crystalline irregularities found in the gem's interior). The common definition of 'Flawless' refers to the fact that no inclusions can be seen under a standard 10x power jewelers loupe, as truly flawless diamonds are extremely rare. Diamonds are graded from FL Flawless to I3. See chart. At DDL, we recommend choosing a VS2 or better.

Carat weight:
A carat is the gemologist's standard measure of a diamond’s weight. There are 100 points per carat; a half-carat diamond is equal to 50 points.