Picking out a wedding ring should be a fun thing. Knowing the 5 C's of wedding jewelry will keep spirits high and fun in store during the buying process. This handy dandy checklist will help you remember what to look for in a quality wedding ring. Gather up your groom and head to the store but be sure to consider these things first.

Carat is key in quality wedding rings.

• The carat of a diamond refers to its weight.
• One carat is one fifth of a gram (200 milligrams). On ounce consists of 142 carats.
• One carat has 100 points.

Clarity is important when buying diamond wedding rings.

• Naturally occurring bubbles, inner cracks, and specks affect a diamond's clarity.
• A flawless diamond (FL) is given the highest rating. These are rare.
• The least desirable rating is "imperfect."
  Size and placement of the naturally occurring blemishes determines rating.
• The 10x magnifying glass used to view the inside of stones is called a loupe.

Cut is the difference between low grade and "a cut above" wedding rings.

• Cut is the feature that gives a diamond its sparkle.
• Cut refers to the faceted flat angled surfaces created when cutting (shaping) a diamond.
• Too many cuts reduces the quality of the diamond and its ability to reflect or refract light.

Color decides the color of your life, or at least the wedding band you'll wear for a lifetime.

• The highest color ranking is D. This is a clear and colorless diamond.
• Z is the lowest color ranking. This is a yellow diamond.
• Yellow, red, pink, orange, amber, violet, and blue are all common colors.
• Naturally occurring colored diamonds are referred to as "fancies."

Certification guarantees quality wedding bands that will last.

• Diamonds should come with written proof of their weight, grade and identifying characteristics.
• Certification should be given by the International Gemological Institute.

Want to know more about wedding rings? View information about shape, cut, style and more in this recent post.