Understanding Diamonds
The Complete Guide to the 4Cs
No other gemstone lights the imagination and captures the heart more so than the diamond. Born of fire deep within the earth, diamond has for centuries been the world's most treasured natural element. Representing wealth, status, romance and love, the diamond is truly a precious thing.
Selecting the right diamond is no easy task. Even though extremely rare, there are thousands of diamonds to choose from—in every shape, color, quality and price range. The key is to do a little homework and find a professional jeweler that you can trust.
It's All About Romance
Some people say it all started back in 1477 when the young Archduke of Austria gave his beautiful bride-to-be, Mary of Burgundy, a large diamond set in a simple ring. As he placed this ring on the fourth finger of her left hand and said, "Will you marry me?", a tradition was born.
The ancient Greeks believed diamonds to be crystallized dewdrops and splinters from the stars given to mortals as gifts from the gods of Olympus. They referred to the diamond as "adamas" or unconquerable—suggesting the eternity of love it so rightfully represents.
Quality + Beauty = Value
You may have heard that the value of a diamond is determined by its quality or grade. While quality is very important, a diamond's real value can't be determined without considering how it looks to you—the buyer—and whether you find its beauty appealing.
These quality factors are collectively known as the four Cs: Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat Weight.
1. Cut — It's All About Beauty
When most people hear the word "cut" they think of shape. Most diamonds are round, but diamonds are also cut into almost any shape imaginable. Most experts agree that it is the arrangement and positioning of the diamond's facets that has the most effect on the diamond's beauty.
A well-cut diamond is the most brilliant and sparkling of all gemstones. A poorly cut gemstone, no matter how high its other quality factors, will seem lifeless and unappealing to the eye.
Luster
Light reflected off surface
Brilliance
White light returned to eye
Dispersion
Rainbow "fire" display
Scintillation
Sparkle with movement
2. Clarity — From the Inside Out
Important: No matter what you've heard, clarity is NOT a measurement of a diamond's beauty. It's a measurement of a diamond's purity and rarity. Only in very uncommon situations is there any correlation between a diamond's clarity grade and the way it looks to the unaided eye.
Remember: A high clarity grade may mean rarer (and more expensive), but it doesn't mean more beautiful!
3. Color — A Range of Choices
When most people think of diamonds they think of a colorless stone. Although most diamonds appear colorless to the unaided eye, the majority has a body color that can be seen by an experienced grader. Generally speaking, the more colorless the diamond the more valuable.
Diamonds are graded face-down. When turned face-up, a diamond almost always looks whiter than it really is!
4. Carat Weight — Bigger is Better?
The weight of a diamond is measured in carats. A carat is a metric unit of measurement that is exactly 1/5 of a gram (0.20). A carat is divided into 100 points (like pennies in a dollar).
While some people think bigger is better, no one can argue that bigger means more expensive if all other factors are equal. It is much harder to find a rough diamond that will yield a one-carat stone than it is to find two rough diamonds that will each produce a 0.50-carat diamond.
Because of this rarity, a one-carat diamond is substantially more expensive per carat than a half-carat stone.
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