As the saying goes, "diamonds are a girl's best friend." Sparkling, glistening, and absolutely brilliant, diamonds are the premier choice for jewelry. Loose diamonds are diamonds which are not set in precious metals such as gold and platinum.

Diamonds come in many shapes and sizes, from round diamonds to pear-shaped diamonds to the more unique marquise and heart-shaped diamonds. When talking about loose diamonds, the 4 C's are of the utmost importance. Cut, color, clarity, and carat weight are the elements given considerable thought when grading diamonds.

The best diamonds are the whitest, clearest, and are cut to specific proportions which give them their brilliant glow. Diamonds which weigh the most (have higher carat weights) are also worth more. When buying diamonds, it is best to examine them when they are not set in a mounting in order to fully inspect the diamond for any flaws. Loose diamonds also allow for more choices because it can be set in an infinite number of mountings.