Gemstone beryl. Gemstone pricing and value are governed by factors and characteristics on the quality of the stone. These characteristics include clarity, rarity, freedom of defects, beauty of the stone, as well as the demand for them. There are different pricing influencers for both colored gemstones, and for diamonds. The pricing on colored stones is determined by market supply-and-demand, but diamonds are more intricate. Diamond value can change based on location, time, and on the evaluations of diamond vendors. There are a number of laboratories which grade and provide reports on gemstones. Each laboratory has its own methodology to evaluate gemstones.
Diamond (gemstone) are often quoted per carat, rather than per stone. "Total carat weight" (t.c.w.) is a phrase used to describe the total mass of diamonds or other gemstone in a piece of jewelry, when more than one gemstone is used. Diamond solitaire earrings, for example, are usually quoted in t.c.w. when placed for sale, indicating the mass of the diamonds in both earrings and not each individual diamond. T.c.w. is also widely used for diamond necklaces, bracelets and other similar jewelry pieces. Clarity is a measure of internal defects of a diamond called "inclusions". Inclusions may be crystals of a foreign