Lastly, you might hear about fluorescence. This isn't really a big deal at all, and most jewelry store workers don't know what this is. Basically, if you put the diamond under a black light or heavy fluorescent light, it's how much of a blue tint or haze you'll see. Some salespeople say that it makes the diamond cloudy and less sparkly, but this isn't really true (although in extreme cases, it might look a bit different in sunlight). It's usually only the tint of blue you see under a black light. It can sometimes even appear more white under fluorescent light, or it can appear a little oily as well. It's not a big deal at all, but if you want no tint, then pick a diamond with no fluorescence. However, you can also pick up one with minimal fluorescence and still never be able to tell the difference (even with high fluorescence you might not be able to tell, but if you want to be safe, you don't have to get a diamond like this). The price difference here really isn't much anyway compared to other qualities of diamonds, so sticking to no or minimal fluorescence is usually the best route to go.
That's about all there is for what to look for with a diamond. Try to focus on eye clean diamonds in the SI clarity area (you can go VS if you have the extra money and don't want to bother looking for an eye clean SI diamond - you can always ask), D to G color, and very good to excellent cut. Please see some more tips on the next page.
