Diamonds are idolized for their extreme beauty and everlasting durability.

As a buyer of diamonds for engagement rings, whether past, present or future, one may wonder why there is such variation in price from store to store. What characteristics constitute a $5,000 diamond versus one that costs only $500?

The physical weight of a diamond is referred to as its “carat”. The value of a diamond is directly proportional to its size. The larger the diamond, the more valuable it is, because larger diamonds are less common. Greater size makes the diamond more spectacular, and therefore increases the purchase price.

Carat size may push the price up, but only slightly if there is no clarity. Several facets determine clarity on both an internal and external basis. Internal aspects, dubbed inclusions, and external aspects, dubbed blemishes, all contribute to the overall clarity score.

The clarity of a diamond can vary from ‘pure’ to heavily included. This designation is arrived at after analyzing the how many inclusions are found as well where the inclusions are located, whether they are tinted, and how large they are.

These differences are due to the cooling process of the diamonds against other materials. Lack of clarity is a lack of perfection. A diamond is forever, and no one wants to be stuck with an imperfect one forever; therefore, this impacts the price.

Color is the next factor that determines a diamond’s overall value. If possible, a diamond should be as clear as water, but this is not always the case. Colors from other gases and minerals around during the time of the diamond’s formation may have altered its clean appearance and left the gem tinted.

There is a scale of coloration that ranges from “D,” where no color is present, to “Z,” where color is easily visible. There is a spectrum known as “beyond Z,” where the colors are rich and vibrant within the diamond and are referred to as fancy colors.

The cost of a diamond is also determined by one final factor, the cut. The cut of a diamond gives it the ability to glitter by reflecting the light back out in very precise ways.

“Fire” is the ability to flash and flicker upon sight. Cut varies from “excellent,” followed by “good,” “average,” “commercial,” and then irregular. If the diamond is not dazzling, the cut is most likely very poor.

So there you have it, the 4 C’s of choosing a diamond: carat, clarity, color and cut. Understanding these basic concepts before you enter a diamond store will go a long way towards making an astute purchase decision.

If you have designer jewelry tastes without the budget to match, you can still enjoy the styles of your favorite designers at a price you can afford. The answer for you is designer replica jewelry. Designer jewelry is replicated by many other jewelry companies, and some of these replicas look so real and convincing that only you will know that it is not really the real thing.

However, before you buy the jewelry, it is helpful to understand how you can tell a real piece of jewelry from a fake piece of designer jewelry and how to shop for the best piece of replica jewelry you can find.

The Hallmarks of a Great Product

Most high quality replica jewelry makers mimic the designer brands exactly in the product design but keep the costs down by using cheaper materials. That is why a replica ring that looks like a Tiffany diamond ring can be a quarter of the price or less – it looks the same, but the diamond is not real and instead of platinum, the ring setting may be sterling silver or some other less expensive material.

If you want to spot the real thing however, all you have to do is look for the hallmark. When a jewelry designer uses a so called precious metal when creating their piece of jewelry, they are required by federal law in the UK to mark their jewelry with a hallmark – a company logo or insignia that shows where that piece of jewelry came from. When a hallmark has to be used is dictated by how much of the metal is used in the setting. Replica makers do not use enough of the metal to require a hallmark, while high end jewelry designers always do.

One thing to watch out for, however – some replica jewelry makers try to convince their customers that they are using precious metals, so they can try to charge a higher price. Simply look for the hallmark on the product. If you don’t see one, the jewelry maker is trying to scam you.

Let the Experts Weigh In

Many replica jewelry makers do things like replacing precious stones with semi precious stones in their jewelry designs to cut down on production costs. However, semi precious stones are not necessarily cheap, and there is another level of stones – imitations made from plastics – that some replica designers use instead. These are used on necklaces, earrings and even celtic engagement rings.

Whereas jewelry made with semi precious stones may cost a few hundred dollars, jewelry made from plastics can cost less than $10. However, some replica jewelry makers attempt to sell plastics at semi precious prices. Get your jewelry checked out by an appraiser even when buying semi precious stones to make sure you are not getting taken to the cleaners.

Shimmer and metallic hues will definitely have an impact this season, that will make a presence felt in accessories and make up as well. Talking of accessories, belts and earrings are definitely going to be two major ones. Prominent and large earrings are in, so you can explore with all your hoops, danglers and chandeliers. So get set, and arrange you wardrobe and get the look that will make heads turn in 2009, that too in your direction.