1) CUT

Of all the characteristics, Cut quality is the element that most heavily impacts a diamond’s beauty. It encompasses how well-proportioned and aesthetically appealing a diamond is. Cut proportions affect a diamond’s ability to reflect light and provide brilliance. It is frequently suggested that a high quality Cut above all else is preferred—as this greatly impacts a round diamond’s beauty and brilliance.

Cut quality directly impacts the round diamond's beauty and brilliance. A well cut round diamond is luminous and reflects white and colored light back to your eyes. A poorly cut round diamond is dull instead of brilliant.

If a round diamond is cut poorly, it will appear dull even if it has a high colour and clarity grade. If a round diamond is cut well, it will reflect and refract light for maximum brightness and sparkle.

2) Colour

Color refers to the natural tint inherent in white diamonds. In nature, most white diamonds have a slight tint of yellow. The closer to being “colorless” a diamond is, the rarer it is. The industry standard for grading color is to evaluate each diamond against a master set and assign a letter grade from “D” (colorless) to “Z” (light yellow).

The most critical aspect with Color is to determine if it appears colorless in relation to its setting. You also want to be certain that a round diamond is clear of any tinting that takes away or interferes with white and colored light reflections.

the naked eye notices no tint at an I Color grade. If you choose a diamond below an I, such as a G or H, you will likely not notice much of a difference—if any at all.

3) Clarity

Diamond clarity is a measure of the purity and rarity of the diamond, graded by the visibility of these characteristics under 10-power magnification. A diamond is graded as flawless if, under 10-power magnification, no inclusions (internal flaws) and no blemishes (external imperfections) are visible.

A round diamond with a poor clarity grade has multiple inclusions, which directly affects sparkle. Because inclusions hinder the refraction and return of light, the lower the clarity grade, the cloudier the round diamond will appear.

4) Carat

Carat weight can appear differently across different diamond shapes such as round brilliant, princess, pear, oval, cushion, marquise, emerald, radiant or heart. A diamond may have a higher carat weight without appearing larger and two diamonds of the same carat weight can vary in size if one is cut deeper than the other. In other words, it is important to note that carat weight does not necessarily denote size.

5) Symmetry

Diamond symmetry is a grading of how symmetrical a diamond's cut is. Many things can impact a diamond's symmetry, such as its facets, its crown angles, its crown height, the location of its culet, and its pavilion angles.

Symmetry refers to how precisely the various facets of a round diamond align and intersect. This can include extra or misshapen facets, off centre cutlets and tables, and wavy girdles.

A round diamond with poor symmetry may misdirect light that travels into the diamond, sending it off at slightly wrong angles, and thereby reducing the diamond's brilliance.