They say diamonds are a girl's best friend, and just as you gravitate towards friends that complement your personality and style, so you would your diamonds. Here, from the book A Girl's Guide to Buying Diamonds, discover how to choose and wear diamonds and jewels that enhance your own unique style and personality
The five sample personalities outlined here are merely guidelines. Don't be afraid to take advice from multiple columns when it comes to choosing different components for your diamond jewellery. Don't forget: jewellery you choose for yourself should reflect a little something of your personality. Signature pieces have long defined the world's most stylish women from Elizabeth Taylor (the Taylor-Burton diamond) and Jackie O (Jean Schlumberger bracelets) to Coco Chanel (long, layered strands of pearls).
The Traditional Woman
Far from being stodgy or boring, the traditional woman in this sense points to a classic and classy point-of-view in looks and attitude. Clues that you may be a traditionalist in terms of your jewellery: are simple pearl or diamond studs still your standard accessory? Does your dream engagement ring come in Tiffany & Co's little blue box? Is Audrey Hepburn one of your style icons? Women in this category tend to dress on the conservative side in tailored clothing that stays in style from season to season.
If this sounds familiar, there are a few tips you can follow for finding a piece of diamond jewellery to fit your style. Traditional women often opt for the classic round, brilliant cut for its universally appealing shape and maximum brilliance or the princess cut for its simple and understated modernity. The Tiffany setting - in its classic four-prong - will probably be the most appealing option for a solitaire. If you have a two-toned wristwatch, white metal, for its simplicity and beauty, will invariably be your best choice for setting your colourless diamond.
The Contemporary Woman
If the words 'sleek' and 'modern' define your living space or your wardrobe, you might fall into the contemporary category. Unfussy and uncluttered, your lifestyle is based on clean lines and simple good taste. Would you rather hang a piece of abstract art above your couch than a pastel Impressionist rendering? Does your wardrobe consist of solid colours in body-contouring fabrics such as silk jersey? Your jewellery box is filled with objects of a similar nature: bold pieces that seamlessly integrate stones and metal, fluid shapes that mould to the contour of the body, and geometric forms based in an artistic mindset.
Most contemporary women do not shy away from metal. Even when mounting a beautiful stone, they are not afraid to use oversized settings in rich, yellow golds or cool whites. Understated stone shapes such as dome-shaped stones (cabochons) and emerald cuts may be good choices for this woman.
Other options are bezel setting; a fancy shape such as a marquise or oval for an updated, less traditional look; or tension-setting diamonds for a completely modern piece of jewellery.
If you're trying to match your accessories with a rock 'n' roll personality, cluster or pave settings may give you the sparkle you're looking for without having to use outrageously expensive, large stones. Platinum is the new must-have metal for today's celebrity A-listers. So, choosing the lustrous white metal may give you that extra cachet that you crave. 
