Perhaps you’ve heard of the “Four C’s” of diamond quality. Each and every unique diamond in the world has its own defining characteristics, and understanding each of them will help you make an informed decision when you come into a Spence Diamonds showroom.
Cut
Nothing is more important to the brilliance and sparkle of a diamond than its cut, as it is responsible for around 40% of a diamond’s price. A well cut diamond will reflect light from one facet to another and back through the top, creating a dramatic sparkling effect that only a diamond can emit. Only the most skilled diamond cutters can shape a diamond with exacting precision, to release its full brilliance, taking into account such factors as proportions, finish, and of course symmetry.
Colour
When examining a diamond, be sure to view it “loose” (unmounted) under a neutral light source, to get the best view of its colour. In the “normal colour” range, the colour of a diamond is rated on a scale that goes from D to Z, with D being the whitest diamond available, and Z being a tinted, light yellow colour. For most jewelry, a colour grade from G to J is usually best.
Why “D to Z?” Before this rating system was invented, diamond professionals used many other symbols (including liberal uses of “A” and “AA”) to rate colour, so the creators of the new system started at D, to avoid any confusion with the outdated ratings systems.
There are also various coloured diamond choices available today, but when you are looking specifically at a white diamond, you should understand how this scale works, and where your diamond of choice is rated on the spectrum. Also, the mounting of a diamond can impact its appearance. A more yellowish diamond will appear whiter next to a gold setting, whereas a white gold setting will make the diamond look less pure if you compare the two side-by-side.
Clarity
The clarity of a diamond refers to the number and nature of inclusions or blemishes that are visible when you view it under a microscope. Some diamond professionals refer to clarity as “purity” or “quality,” but neither of those start with “C,” so we’ll stick with clarity.
A blemish is an imperfection on the surface of a diamond, and an inclusion is a small spot contained within it. Diamonds with little or no imperfections such as these are rarer, and much more valuable. Five factors determine a diamond’s clarity: the size, number, position, nature and “relief” of the inclusions. Relief describes the level of visibility of these imperfections. The clarity scale of a diamond is the easiest to understand: It varies from Flawless, to Internally Flawless, and from there goes to VVS, VS, SI and I. These are easy to understand and remember, because they stand for: Very Very Slightly included, Very Slightly included, Slightly Included, and Included. Each of these designations has varying levels as well, but getting a handle on these will help you understand the importance of clarity in a diamond’s grading.
An “I” rated diamond will have inclusions that are visible to the naked eye, whereas even a skilled diamond expert would need a microscope to see the inclusions in an “SI” diamond. Because of this, diamonds rated “SI” usually represent the best value for your investment.
Important Note: Skilled jewelry makers often mount a diamond so as to mask an inclusion from sight, helping it appear more flawless. Before buying a diamond, be sure to examine it loose under a microscope to get a better idea of its clarity.
Carat
The last and most obvious characteristic that a diamond is measured by is its Carat (abbreviated “ct.”). A carat is a measure of weight, and it takes 142 of them to make an ounce.
Interesting bits of trivia:
You can mail 142 one-carat diamonds with just a single postage stamp (Not that you would want to)!
The majority of diamonds used in jewelry weigh less than one carat.
Obviously, a diamond’s carat weight can have a big effect on its value. When written, carat weights are expressed as decimal numbers: 1.00 ct., 0.48 ct., 1.57 cts., and so on. In a piece which has more than one diamond, often times you will see the total carat weight of the diamonds shown.
At Spence Diamonds, each and every diamond comes with an official Diamond Certificate, which will give you a detailed blueprint of your diamond. Now that you understand the “Four C’s” of diamond grading, you’ll have a better understanding of these certificates, which give you detailed info on all of the factors discussed above, including a “plotting” that shows the exact location of inclusions and blemishes.
The diamond is the hardest substance in nature known to man, yet it is a gemstone of the simplest composition.
It is a mineral made up of carbon atoms formed into a crystalline lattice arrangement. Its modern popularity is owed to the discovery of huge diamond deposits in southern and central Africa during the 1800s and since then has become a gemstone to be coveted even by ordinary people.
When obtaining or buying a diamond, the industry has standards to which a diamond’s worth and value can be measured.
Although there are other factors of a diamond piece that experts consider, like its symmetry, table percentage, and fluorescence, to determine its value, consumers usually learn about the four Cs beforehand as a starting point.
These are Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat.
1. Cut – the cut of a diamond actually pertains to both its shape and how well the diamond is formed in relation to its proportions and polish.
This factor of a diamond defers from all the others, as it is the only one that is determined by human hands. Nature is responsible for a diamond’s color, clarity and carat, but only an expert cutter can make a rough diamond achieve its most beautiful form.
As for the shape of a diamond, there are 8 major shapes, which include round, marquise, emerald, pear, princess, oval, radiant, and heart. The round shape is the most popular and readily available in any possible size and quality.
If a diamond is cut too shallow or deep, it losses its brilliance by the light leaking at the side of bottom. A well-proportioned diamond emphasizes its natural beauty and brilliance.
2. Color – the color of a diamond varies from shades of yellow to the higher quality and more uncommon colorless types.
A diamond’s color is graded, D being the highest for the perfectly colorless stones, to grade Z, which has tints of yellow in the piece.
There are some that are also called fancies, available in brighter hues of blue, pink, yellow, green, purple and even red. These types, although colored, are more rare and much more expensive.
3. Clarity – like our own fingerprints, no two diamonds are alike. This is because diamonds have inclusions, tiny internal flaws of non-crystallized carbon that are mostly invisible to a human eye.
These inclusions affect a diamond’s clarity, which is the degree in which light passes through the stone. Blemishes can also appear after the cutting process and can affect clarity.
Clarity grades range from internally flawless to imperfect.
4. Carat – pertains to a diamond’s weight and is measured in increments called points, 100 points being equal to one carat.
Since larger diamonds are rare, the value of a 2-carat diamond is priced higher than that of 2 1-carat diamonds of the same quality.
A diamond’s carat is the easiest to measure since it is determined on a diamond scale. Its weight also does not necessarily reflect its size, since a diamond can be cut in a way that makes its discernable top surface
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