Only one fifth of all rough diamonds mined are suitable for gem cutting.

I bet you didn't know this. It's not the diamond that contributes to its shine, but actually the cut. Sure color, carat, clarity are important but a bad cut can ruin diamonds. A professional diamond cutter determines which cut to give. Every diamond has it's own unique cut.

The lack of color increased the diamonds valuable. If there is any hint of color, then the value of the diamond goes diamond. There is a color exception. Diamonds with full color like yellow or blue are rare and much more valuable then white diamonds

Carat is the weight of diamonds, how big of a diamond they find. The bigger the diamond, the more money it creates.

Clarity is the amount of cuts or blemishes a diamond has on its suface. Some blemishes occur naturally and others are man-made. More blemishes mean less sparkle and less value.

A diamond's cut is what really effects it's shine. A poor cut will ruin it's brilliance and shine no matter how high the, color, clarity, or carat.

Unfortunately there are other things that make a diamond loose it's luster.

Grease and oil. Diamonds easily attract oils and grease from your fingers. Build up of this grim will make your diamonds appear dirty and dull. This is why you should only handle your diamonds when needed.

Don't worry, it's easy to remove oil build up.

Cleaning your diamonds is simple. Just soak the diamonds in an ammonia based cleaner overnight. In the morning remove your diamonds and wipe off any remaining dirty with a horse hair brush or soft cloth.

When cleaning your diamonds, take care to clean around the metal post. Some metals weaken and become fragile after soaking in cleaner.

Encrusted dirt on diamonds can be removed using an ultrasonic cleaner. This cleaner uses ultrasonic waves to remove the dirt. It can also loosen the stones. Let a professional jeweler clean your diamonds with this method. The jeweler will inspect any mountings and tighten them if necessary

Your diamonds will continue to sparkle with a regular cleaning routine.