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When it comes to a girl going on a special night out, there are so many things to consider. The right outfit, the right make up and the right man. We girls may not have much control over the quality of the man involved but we can have quality control over the rest. Grab a bag of your best makeup, hire a little black dress and splash out on some quality diamond jewellery and make like you’re going on a red carpet debut with Keanu Reeves. For top tips on how to know your diamonds and get that movie star look, just read on.

For inspiration, take a good look at the fashion pages in magazines like Tattler and Vogue. These publications will give you an idea of what the current trends are in hair, makeup, clothes and accessories. Once you have decided on a style that suits your demeanour it is time to personalise your look and find out what the cutting edge fashion is in celebrity-ville. Buying magazines such as Heat and Hello you will be able to scour every inch of what the celebrities are wearing, steal their style and make it your own for a fraction of the cost.

One of the most prestigious accessories for any outfit at any event is the presence of a big juicy sparkler. Whether it’s a five carat fancy cut in a ring or a fifteen carat round brilliant in a platinum pendant, donning a diamond or two will give a touch of glamour that, for a change, money can buy. Before you go and spend a credit card and a half on beautiful jewellery, it’s wise to know what you are looking for; getting value for money on a good quality rock can make a difference of literally thousands of pounds.

Diamonds are essentially graded and valued according to the Four C’s; Carat, Cut, Colour and Clarity. Each of these factors has a direct correlation on the value of the stone, but there are no hard and fast rules as to what is the deciding factor, it’s the end result and the desirability that will win the highest bid. For example, the world famous Koh I Noor, currently a whopping 105 carats and weighing in at over 21 grams is just a fraction of what it used to be. It was once famed for its reputation as the largest diamond in the world at 186 carats, but its appearance left a lot to be desired. It was Prince Albert who in 1852 decided to have the stone cut to give it the brilliance its reputation deserved, reducing its size by over 40 per cent. Despite being 16 grams lighter the diamond holds more appeal due to the aesthetic qualities of the cut than its carat.

The colour of a diamond varies according to the imperfection present when it was forming. For example the most common hues of yellow and brown are caused by the presence of nitrogen and is present to some degree in all white diamonds. These are graded from D to Z according to the intensity of the hue with D being the clearest and most valuable. However, there are coloured diamonds that are not graded on this scale and they fall into a category of their own. The value depends to some degree on the fashion at the time and the intensity of the colour usually makes the stone more valuable. The rarity of these stones often make them more valuable than even the clearest brilliant cut white stone, and is a wise investment if you can get hold of one. At the end of the day though, despite what the experts say, dripping with diamonds is a personal pleasure, and you should always buy the gems that catch your eye.

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the jewellery industry.
Find out more about t diamond necklaces and the impact you can make with diamond accessories at Diamond Manufacturers.