At Sergio's, we will take you through the process of choosing the right diamond. The information below is provided to get you started. Once you have made some initial decisions about size, shape and quality, come into the store and we'll sit down together, look at some different diamonds, and help you make a final choice. At anytime in your selection process, fell free to come in and ask questions.

The value of a diamond is determined by its cut, clarity, color, carat weight.

Cut
The cut of a diamond refers to its proportions. It does not refer to its shape. The original form of the "rough" diamond determines the final shape and cut of the diamond.

A facet refers to the individual flat surfaces on a diamond. Most diamonds are cut with 58 facets, placed in precise angles in relation to each other. The better the cut and placement of these exact surfaces, the better the diamond can reflect light through the diamond, creating that "sparkle" and brilliance that ads to the beauty of the stone.

Clarity
To determine a diamond's clarity, it is inspected under a 10x magnification. Internal imperfections called inclusions and surface imperfections, called blemishes are counted. The diamond is then rated on the following scale:

Flawless
Internally flawless (very minor external blemishes)
WS1 and WS2 (very, very slightly included)
VS1 and VS2 (very slightly included)
SI1 and SI2 (slightly included)
I1, I2 and I3 (included).

Diamonds with a rating of SI2 and better have inclusions that are probably not noticeable to the naked eye. But noticeable or not, the fewer the imperfections, the rarer and more valuable the diamond. So an VVS1 might look the same to the average consumer as an SI1, but will cost much more. Higher clarity does not always make a diamond more attractive, but rather, more expensive. Therefore, unless you are looking for an investment, most consumers opt for a diamond with more carat weight and better color rather than a higher clarity rating.

Color
A diamond’s color is rated through an alphabetical scale from D-Z – with a D rating the best. Only the very best colorless diamonds earn a D rating. The lower the rating the more yellow or brown a diamond is. Most consumers are unable to differentiate between diamonds of only one or two color gradations between them, even when comparing directly next to the other diamond. We recommend comparing diamonds graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) for the most accurate color rating. Other noted grading laboratories are EGL (European Gemological Laboratories) and IGI (International Gemologial Institute)

Carat Weight
One carat is divided into 100 points. A diamond weighing three quarters of a carat is the same as a diamond weighing 75 points. In two diamonds of the same quality, the larger the diamond, the more expensive the diamond. Because a diamond of one carat is much more than twice as rare as a diamond of 1/2 carat, costs can increase exponentially as the diamond size increases.

Shape
Diamonds are cut in all kinds of different shapes. Some shapes cost more than others for the same grade diamond, so comparing diamonds of different shapes is sometimes difficult. Here are some of the more popular shapes.