HOW MUCH IS YOUR DIAMOND WORTH?

Carat = weight of the diamond measured in carats. 1 carat = 0.2g

Color = visible "tint" of the diamond. Except rare fancy colors, colorless diamonds have the highest prices. The worldwide color scale, derived by GIA (The Gemological Institute of America), is from D => Z and beyond to the fancy and vivid colors
-D - F = colorless; G - J = near colorless; K- M= sl tinted; N - R = near yellow; S - Z = light yellow to yellow

Clarity = degree to which a diamond is free of blemishes and "inclusions."

VVS (Very Very Slightly included): Highest quality, 1% of diamonds

VS (Very Slightly included): V high quality, v minor small inclusions seen by an expert under 10X magnification

SI (Slighly included): fairly noticeable inclusions at 10X magnification but are generally eye-clean (without magnification)

I1- I3 (Imperfect): inclusions seen without magnification.

Cut: refers to the proportions to which the stone was polished. It takes into consideration the shape of the rough, its size, inclusions and how much weight will be lost in the cutting. This gives the diamond it's brilliance and fire. AGS (American Gem Society) grades their perfectly cut diamonds 0 on a scale of 0 - 10. Fancy cuts include: emerald, princess, pear, marquis, heart.

Certificate: is a quality analysis of a stone, a measurement of its weight, color and clarity. GIA is the most popular, and also EGL, IGI

DID YOU KNOW THAT.....

~ Over 10,000 marriages a year now are directly traceable to romances which begin during coffee breaks.
~The 1st diamond engagement ring was given in 1477 by Archduke Maximillian of Austria to Mary of Burgundy.
~Two out of five marry their first love.
~The word honeymoon first appeared in the 16th century. 'Honey' is a reference to the sweetness of a new marriage and 'moon' is a bitter acknowledgment that this sweetness, like a full moon, would quickly fade.
~In ancient Rome there was no legal ceremony by a priest, minister, or civil servant or any 3rd party to solemize a marriage and there were no formal records of the marriage. The couple agreed to live together and they became recognized as married by the fact they lived together, or by actions such as the man referring to the lady as his wife, or by evidence of a dowry, or by the general acceptance of their life-style as representing a husband-wife relationship. Divorce was by agreement or by simply leaving the household on the part of either partner.
~In 1970, brides were on average 20.8 years old when they married, while grooms were 23.2. Americans are now marrying later in life. In the year 2000, brides were on average 25.1 with their grooms averaging 26.8.
~Studies indicate that a man who kisses his wife good-bye when he leaves for work every morning averages a higher income than those who don't. Husbands who exercise the rituals of affection tend to be more painstaking, more stable, more methodical, thus, higher earners. Studies also show that men who kiss their wives before leaving in the morning live 5 years longer than those who don't.
~One in 5 men proposes on one knee.
~6% of men proposed to their girlfriends over the phone.Red roses are the most popular flower to give on Valentine's Day and although they may all look the same to the untrained eye, there are actually more than 900 different varieties of dark-red and medium-red roses.
~The expression, "tying the knot" dates to Roman times, when the bride wore a girdle that was tied in knots - which the groom then had the fun of untying.
~The Wall Street Journal, citing U.S. Census Bureau research, reports that the U.S. marriage rate is significantly higher in the Mountain States (thanks primarily to Nevada's wedding industry), along with the East South Central States of Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama. The Northeast region of the country has the lowest marriage rate.
~Only 4% of men ask for the parent's approval for their bride's hand in marriage.