CARAT

Like most precious materials, diamonds are measured by carat weight, one carat being equal to 0.2 gram. Weight is also quoted in “points” or hundredths of a carat – e.g. a 50-point diamond is 0.5 carat

Large diamonds are rarer than small ones and, therefore, generally are more valuable. As such, with diamonds of the same quality, a two-carat stone would be more expensive than two one-carat stones. The key is quality, and prices are commensurate with quality. Do not buy big diamonds that sell at low prices because such stones would be of inferior clarity, color and cut.

The chart below is a guide to the relative size of round diamonds. The chart is not to scale: the size will depend on the resolution of your computer monitor. Below each circle is the approximate size of the diamond in millimeters.

CLARITY

Clarity refers to the number and extent of flaws in a diamond. Flaws detract from the value of a stone – the higher the number of flaws, the less valuable the diamond. Completely flawless (FL) diamonds are extremely rare. Only a few hundred FL diamonds are produced annually worldwide.

Several grades are used to describe clarity, the most popular being the International Gemological Institute grades:

FL - Flawless
IF - Internal Flawless with minor surface blemishes
WS1-WS2 - Very very small inclusions (not visible to the naked eye)
VS1-VS2 - Very small inclusions (not visible to naked eye)
S1-S3 - Small Inclusions (not visible to naked eye)
I1-I3 - Inclusion (visible to naked eye)

Because clarity is difficult for inexperienced buyers to determine accurately, M7D advises scrutiny of the grading report (see section on Certificate).

COLOR

The “color” of a diamond refers to its degree of inherent “yellowness”. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) grades color alphabetically from D (totally colorless) to Z (yellow). The ideal stone is totally colorless and, therefore, the most expensive.

CUT

A diamond may have perfect color and clarity, but a poor cut can make it look dull and detract from its quality and value. Cut is therefore the key to brilliance and value in a stone. M7D carries only diamonds cut to the highest standard, and their brilliance is beautiful.

Cut (which defines the quality of a diamond's polish and proportions) must not be confused with the shape of the stone.

The shape of a diamond is also termed its style. Traditionally, there are five shapes or styles: Emerald-cut, Marquise, Oval, Pear-shaped and Round Brilliant. More contemporary styles include Heart-shaped and Princess-cut. No shape is “better” in terms of quality or value. The choice of shapes is entirely a matter of personal taste.

M7D offers the most preferred shapes: Princess-cut and Round Brilliant.

CERTIFICATE

The most crucial step in choosing a stone is to review its diamond certificate, or grading report as it is termed by diamond grading laboratories. This document contains the professionally-verified characteristics of the stone, including Carat, Clarity, Color and Cut .

All M7D diamonds are appraised, graded and certified by the Belgium-based International Gemological Institute (IGI) . Established in 1975, the IGI operates laboratories in key locations in the gemstone and jewelry belts of the world, including Antwerp, New York City, Toronto, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Bangkok, Mumbai and Dubai. These laboratories operate to a common, global standard.