Today we weigh diamonds using the metric system. These weights are still translated into the carat as the unit of diamond weight. We use sophisticated equipment like the electronic balance. We also have formulas for determining the weight of a stone in a mounting using size measurements. Some of the devices used to give such accurate measurements are the screw micrometer, the Moh gauge and the Leverage gauge, to mention a few.

As a diamond's weight increases the price per carat increases. Larger diamonds are more rare and when these larger diamonds also have higher color, clarity and cut grades the value or price per carat increases greatly. The rarer, the more expensive.

Diamond Care
Diamonds must be kept clean and be stored carefully when they are not being worn. Because most people wear their engagement ring 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, it’s essential that you’re always mindful of its care. Here are some more guidelines to help keep your diamond in top condition:

• Avoid wearing your diamonds while doing housework, yard work or any other kind of rough work. Even though a diamond is extremely durable, a hard blow could chip it.
• When doing household chores, never allow your jewelry to come into contact with chlorine bleach.
• If you notice a loose stone setting, stones moving or any other noticeable damage to your jewelry, do not wear the jewelry until you have taken it to a professional jeweler. We recommend that you have a jeweler check the setting in your diamond ring (while you watch) once a year.
• When you’re not wearing your diamonds, be sure to store them in a fabric-lined case or in a box with dividers or separate compartments--diamonds can scratch other jewelry as well as each other.

Cleaning Your Diamonds
Diamonds, like anything else, get smudged, soiled and dusty. Lotions, powders, soaps--even the natural oils from your skin--will create a film on diamonds, which will reduce their brilliance. In addition, chemicals in the air will oxidize or discolor the mountings. Keeping your jewelry clean will maximize its brilliance. Here are four ways Diamond.com suggests you clean your diamonds:

Detergent Bath:
Prepare a small bowl of warm suds using any mild household liquid detergent (be sure not to use any cleaners containing chlorine). Brush the jewelry with a soft brush until you have created a lather around it. With the jewelry on a plastic or metal strainer, rinse off with warm water (be sure not to clean your jewelry over the drain!) Pat your jewelry dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.

Cold Water Soak:
Make a solution of 4 parts cold-water and 1 part very mild dishwashing detergent. Soak the pieces for several minutes. Lift out and tap gently around all sides of the mounting with a soft brush. Rinse the pieces in the solution once more and drain on tissue paper.

Quick-Dip Method:
Buy one of the brand name liquid jewelry cleaners, choosing the one that is best for the kind of stones and metals in your jewelry. Read the label carefully and follow the instructions. Do not touch your clean diamonds with your fingers, as the oils from your hands will leave a film on the stone.

The Ultrasonic Cleaner:
There are many types of these small machines available to the public today. They will clean any piece of jewelry that can be soaked in a liquid within a matter of minutes. These machines often have a metal cup, which is filled with water and detergent. When the machine is turned on, a high-frequency turbulence is created. Avoid putting emeralds in ultrasonic cleaners.