The 4Cs of Diamonds - cut, color, clarity, and carat weight - the most important characteristics to understand when making any diamond purchase. It is our hope that the information below will provide you with a basic understanding so that you can confidently move through the process.
Diamond Cut
The cut of a diamond is the angles and proportions of the stone. It is the only one of the four Cs that's not determined by nature and is the most important quality to consider. If the diamond is cut too deep or too shallow, it will leak light on the sides, giving it a lackluster appearance, which will reduce its value and brilliance. A well-cut diamond will have two factors: mirror-like facets and a “white light" reflected both internally and externally, also known as the brilliance, or what will make your engagement ring shine bright.
CUT DESCRIPTIONS:
Ideal This grade is reserved for a round brilliant diamond. When cut to ideal proportions the diamond achieves 100% light return or total internal reflection, thus the diamond will have the maximum brightness and fire possible.
Excellent This grade roughly represents the top 5% of diamond quality, based on cut. Hence it’s considered a rare, exquisite cut because it reflects most of the light that enters the diamond.
Very Good This grade roughly represents the top 15% of diamond quality, based on cut. So for a lower price than the excellent cut, it reflects nearly as much light.
Good This grade roughly represents the top 25% of diamond quality, based on cut. Much cheaper than a very good cut, it reflects most of the light that enters it.
Fair This grade roughly represents the top 35% of diamond quality, based on cut. It’s regarded as a quality diamond but it won’t be as brilliant as a good cut.
Poor The poor cousin of other grades, these diamonds lose most of their light out of the sides and bottom. This is because they are either too shallow and wide, or too narrow and deep.
Diamond Color
The color, or in actuality the lack of color, is another factor to examine when selecting a diamond. While it is often difficult to make subtle distinctions in color with the naked eye, these different grades have a significant impact on value and quality. The less body color a diamond has the more desirable and rare it becomes.
Diamond Clarity
Diamonds are formed deep within the earth as a result of intense heat and pressure. As a result of this natural process, most diamonds possess slight imperfections on their surface (blemishes) or inside the diamond (inclusions). These characteristics can be seen as the diamond’s fingerprint or birthmark because they make each diamond unique from the next. Diamonds without inclusions or blemishes are rare, and most characteristics can only be viewed under magnification.There are 11 grades as per the diamond clarity chart.
This is how you decode the scale: Flawless (FL): A diamond rated Flawless has absolutely no inclusions or blemishes that are visible to an expert assessor under 10x magnification.
Internally Flawless (IF): This grade means no inclusions, and only blemishes can be seen by a skilled assessor using 10x magnification.
Very, Very Slightly Included (VVS1 and VVS2): VVS1 and VVS2-rated diamonds have inclusions that are difficult even for an expert evaluator to see under 10× magnification.
Very Slightly Included (VS1 and VS2): These diamonds have minor inclusions that a skilled grader can easily spot under 10x magnification.
Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2): These diamonds have inclusions that are immediately noticeable to an evaluator under 10x magnification.
Included (I1, I2, and I3): Rated lowest on the scale, I1, I2 and I3-rated diamonds have inclusions that are very apparent under 10× magnification. This may noticeably affect their brilliance and transparency.
Carat
Most people think of a carat in terms of the size of the diamond, but it is actually based on weight. The weight of a diamond is traditionally measured in terms of carat, a unit of weight with 1 carat equaling .20 grams. Each carat is divided into 100 points, allowing for a very precise measurement of the diamond. For instance, a diamond that weighs .50 carat may be referred to as a “half-carat” or a “fifty-pointer”.
With these fundamentals in mind, remember that a diamond is a precious whole, and should be looked at in totality. If you’re unsure how to evaluate a diamond, and want to purchase an exceptional diamond or bundle of diamonds, please contact us and our diamond experts will assist you.
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