Consumer Guide to Diamonds

The 4 C's of Diamonds

One of the most important considerations when buying diamonds is the four C's. You should always pay attention to the four C's when examining loose diamonds.

The four C's are:

• Carats
• Clarity
• Color
• Cut

Carat

Carat of course refers to the weight of the diamond. Jewelers measure all diamonds by their weight. When it comes to diamonds, size isn’t everything. Many people assume the bigger the diamond the better. However, practically speaking most larger diamonds have less quality and brilliance than smaller ones. To cut a diamond in the best possible shape to reflect the most amount of light, the jeweler must cut much of the original diamond away. Thus, the weight of the diamond decreases.

One carat is equal to 1/5 a gram. Is a higher carat diamond better than a lesser carat one? That depends on many things including personal preference. A low carat diamond may have an exceptional cut and clarity, thus be worth more than a heavier diamond cut poorly. Keep in mind that all four C's relate to a diamonds overall worth, not simply the carat weight. If you do like a big rock however, the more carat you select the bigger the diamond.

Clarity

Clarity refers to the number of inclusions in a diamond. Inclusions prevent light from passing through the diamond. Thus, the more inclusions a diamond has, the less clear and brilliant. Almost all diamonds have flaws. You should try to find a diamonds that appears the most clear. Flawless diamonds are those that have no natural inclusions without close magnification. It is difficult to find diamonds of this quality.

When measuring a diamonds clarity, consider the following:

• Flawless - a diamond with almost no inclusions.
• Very very slightly included (VVS1 and VVS2) - diamonds that have inclusions that are difficult to see without magnification.
• Very slightly included (VS1 and VS2) - diamonds that have inclusions the naked eye probably can’t see.
• Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2) - these diamonds have inclusions that you may be able to see with the naked eye. They are usually very affordable and brilliant, thus a good value for many consumers.
• Imperfect - (I1, I2, I3) - imperfect diamonds have obvious defects and usually less sparkle than other diamonds.

Color

Color refers to how white a diamond is. The more color in a diamond the more substances present other than pure carbon. Some diamonds with color are 'fancy' including pink diamonds. Most people treasure and value these diamonds more so than others. Most of the time you will evaluate color on a scale from clear to white.

Here is a brief description of the color grades most diamond sellers use to value their loose diamonds:

• D - this refers to a colorless diamonds. This is the most rare form of diamond
• E- a colorless diamond that only an expert gemologist could detect any color in.
• F - colorless diamonds with some trace color, but still only enough that a gemologist might detect.
• G-H - these refer to diamonds that are nearly colorless. Usually they are well priced.
• I-J - like the previous category, nearly colorless though you can detect a slight color.
• K-Z - Usually diamonds falling into this category have a slight yellow tinge or color.

When selecting diamonds if you want a good value diamond try to find one that falls between G-I. Usually engagement rings however are D-H quality. You can also select a diamond based on specialty color. As mentioned before the most popular category is a pink diamond. Less than one percent of all diamonds are pink. You can expect to pay a higher price for naturally colored diamonds because they are exceedingly rare. Many people select these diamonds as a sign of prestige. Diamonds are available that are light to very dark pink. Champagne is also a favorite selection in the diamond industry. You can even combine diamonds to get a mixed result, such as pink champagne.

Much this depends on personal preference. A color diamond may be a good selection if you want to buy a diamond for a unique occasion, such as a 20th wedding anniversary. White or colorless diamonds are still the most popular for engagements and weddings. Many celebrities however have sported various colored diamonds of late.

Cut

Cut refers to the quality of the diamond. The better cut the more sparkle a diamond has. Cut is not the same as shape, which refers to round, emerald etc. Cut is one of the most important aspects of a diamonds value. When a diamond is well cut, it reflects light brilliantly and is highly valued. Many diamonds with poor cuts do not reflect light well thus hold less value.

A range of 0-4 usually represents cuts that are good. 0-2 represent the highest brilliance and grade of cut. A 3-4 rating is usually good, while anything below this is fair to poor. Diamonds have to be cut at just the right depth. Cut a diamond too deep or too shallow ad light reflects poorly or is lost from the side of the diamond.

There are several parts of a diamond that must be considered when cutting. These include:

• Diameter - this is the width of the diamond from the center.
• Table - the largest facet of a diamond.
• Crown - refers to the top of the diamond from the widest portion to the largest facet.
• Girdle - this is a narrow band around the widest section of a diamond.
• Pavillion - bottom half of the diamond.
• Cutlet - this is the facet located at the tip of the diamond.
• Depth - this refers to how high the stone is from the cutlet or base to the tip.

You can define cut simply as a combination of shape, proportion, finish and sparkle that a diamond possess. Most diamonds look rough in their natural state. A talented cutter however can create a beautiful stone from the rough edges of a natural diamond. However, in the hands of a poor designer, a beautiful diamond can also be cut to look rather bland.

Two diamonds may weigh the same and have the same clarity and color, but will look very different depending on the cut. Some cuts may make a diamond look dark whereas others will create more light.

• For more information about Diamonds,
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