The 4 C’s of Diamonds!
Diamond shopping can be both exciting and scary! There are many questions that may arise, such as: Is this a good diamond? Is it real? Why is this diamond more expensive than the other? Well, some of these questions can be answered by looking into what the jewelry industry calls the 4 C’s. Cut, Clarity, Color and Carat weight.
Diamonds are graded on how well they are cut, with categories like Excellent, Ideal, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor. Cutters consider facets' symmetry, polish quality, stone proportions, and overall appearance. A properly cut diamond has a centered culet, symmetrical facets, and a proportional look. Polish lines may be barely visible or make the stone seem hazy. A well-cut diamond has balanced girdle thickness, pavilion, and crown. Different cuts suit different preferences, with sizes specified for well-cut stones. Cut also impacts color, clarity, and carat weight assessment.
Clarity in Diamonds: Clarity grades diamonds from best to worst: Flawless, Internally Flawless, Very Very Slightly Included, Very Slightly Included, and Included. These ratings are determined under a microscope and are usually invisible to the naked eye. Flawless diamonds are very rare due to cutting and polishing. Internally Flawless stones are also uncommon but possible. Imperfections like polishing lines make completely flawless diamonds hard to find. Very Very Slightly Included diamonds have minor inclusions. Very Slightly Included stones may have larger inclusions, including crystal inclusions. Slightly Included diamonds are common in jewelry and look clear to the naked eye but have inclusions under magnification. Included diamonds have visible inclusions, with I3 being the most obvious. The clarity grade significantly impacts diamond prices.
The 3rd component of the 4 C’s is color. The color scale for diamonds starts at D and ends at Z. Diamonds are color graded upside down. D-F are completely colorless, and will show no color upside down. G-J are considered near colorless. You may see faint color in a diamond upside down, but it will need to be rocked and observed at different angles to determine how much color. L-Z will show color face up with the naked eye. Once a diamond reaches a yellow color past Z it will be graded as a fancy yellow color. Other fancy colors include, blue, yellow, grey, orange, purple, red, and green.
Finally the last component of Diamonds is the Carat weight. This is how a gemstone is weighed. Each 0.25ct measurment will increase the price of the diamond significantly. So if you are wanting the 2 carat diamond look, it will be way more cost effectice to look for a 1.8-1.99ct diamond. The size diffence is not visible to the naked eye, but once it hits the 2.0ct weight, the price will jump quite a bit.
The 4 C’s play a very important part in finding the right diamond for you. There are many aspects to take into consideration when choosing the diamond. There are areas that you are able to compromise in to make sure you are getting the look you want that fits your budget. Stop in any time to talk about diamonds with our knowledgeable sales staff to make the right decison for you!