Without a doubt, diamonds are the most cherished and longed-for gift. Nothing can match the brilliance or the meaning of diamonds. Choosing the right jeweler for knowledge and design is your most important first step. Michael Whitby is a certified gemologist and member of the American Gem Society.

You know you have the right jeweler because Michael will show you the quality of a diamond out of it's setting and will help you choose a design that enhances the cut & clarity.

Michael works with your wishes - and budget - to make your dream of a fabulous diamond come true.

All diamonds are rare, but some more valuable than others.
Four characteristics determine a diamond’s value:
these 4 C’s are Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat Weight.

Cut: Cut reflects light, and the better the cut, the more your diamond sparkles! These are the principal diamond shapes:(shown left to right) Brilliant, Marquise, Oval, Pear, Heart, Emerald, Square.

Clarity: Every diamond is unique. Minerals trapped during crystallization cause natural characteristics called “inclusions.” A gemologist determines the age of the diamond and the number, color, nature, size and position of the inclusions determine the clarity of a diamond. The fewer the inclusions, the more valuable the diamond.

Carat Weight: A carat is a standard metric weight of 0.2 grams (or 1/142 of an ounce.) Each carat is divided into 100 points. So a 1/4 carat is 25 points or 0.25. Once a diamond is mounted, the weight is estimated by using special gauges and formulas. Carat weight has no bearing on a diamond’s cut, color or clarity so a very large diamond could actually be worth less than a smaller diamond.

Color: The closer a diamond is to having no color the more valuable it becomes. Diamonds with no color at all are very rare. There are some strong colored diamonds, called Fancies, that are very prized for their color of red, pink and blue. Most gem quality diamonds, though, have a hint of yellow or brown, even if they appear to be colorless.