Buying fine jewelry online can be a wonderful experience, there are hundreds of reputable sites online that offer quality pieces at prices you may not find locally. If you research and do site comparisons I'm sure you will have a great time shopping for jewelry online.
There are a few thing you want to know when shopping for jewelry online and locally, I usually like to start at the four c's and that's carats, clarity, color and cut. In case you don't know what these terms are here is their definition.
Carat: Diamonds are weighed in carats usually the higher the carat weight the rarer the stone and higher the price tag. Gemstones are also weighed in carats but the price of a gemstone doesn't always go by carat but also by the type of Gemstone. For example a 1 carat Emerald would more then likely be more expensive then a 2 carat Citrine Stone that's because an Emerald is more rare then Citrine which is a quartz and quartz is one of the most abundant minerals on earth.
Clarity: The clarity of a Diamond or Gemstone can rage from flawless to inclusions noticeable to the naked eye. A flawless Diamond will carry a higher price tag then one with even minor inclusions because they are more rare.
FL = Flawless -- no internal or external inclusions of any kind visible under 10x magnification to a trained eye, the most rare and expensive of all clarity grades
IF = Internally Flawless -- no internal inclusions visible under 10x magnification to a trained eye, but there may be some tiny external irregularities in the finish
VVS-1 = Very Very Slightly Included 1 -- usually just one tiny inclusion visible only to a trained eye under 10x magnification
VVS-2 = Very Very Slightly Included 2 -- tiny inclusions visible only to a trained eye under 10x magnification
VS-1 = Very Slightly Included 1 -- very small inclusions visible with 10x magnification
VS-2 = Very Slightly Included 2 -- several very small inclusions visible with 10x magnification
SI-1 = Slightly Included 1 -- small inclusions visible with 10x magnification
SI-2 = Slightly Included 2 -- several small inclusions visible with 10x magnification
SI-3 = Slightly Included 3 -- inclusions that may be visible to the naked eye for a trained observed
I-1 = Included 1 -- flaws that are visible to the naked eye
I-2 = Included 2 -- many flaws clearly visible to the naked eye that also decrease the brilliance
I-3 = Included 3 -- many flaws clearly visible to the naked eye which decrease the brilliance and compromise the structure of the diamond, making it more easily cracked or chipped
Color: Diamonds are found in practically ever color of the rainbow however white Diamonds are still the most sought after. The color of a stone can rage from "D" completely colorless to "Z" a yellowish tint. This is another factor in the cost of a Diamond.
Cut: The cut of a Diamond tells you how reflective the stone is. A good cut Diamond will allow the ideal amount of light to reflected through the Diamond giving it brilliance.
