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What are the 4Cs of Diamond?
Gemology experts have developed
methods of grading diamonds depending on their characteristics most important to
their value as a gem. The value of a white diamond is determined by what are
commonly referred to as the 4Cs. Four characteristics popularly known as the
Four C’s are commonly used as basic descriptors of diamond, namely Clarity,
Color, Cut and Carat. Each of the 4Cs are important and the most valuable
Diamonds are those that possess the best of all four measurements.
We bring you useful educational
information of important aspects of jewelry and jewelry buying. We have made
efforts to cover most tat you will need to know in order to make a sound
decision about your jewelry buying. Read below and learn about these 4 most
important aspects of diamond. As always, please feel free to contact us if you
have specific questions about our designs or even questions in general.
Read more directly AGS Site....(External
Link)
Diamond Clarity
Clarity of a diamond signifies its property of being
free from any imperfections in its crystal structure and
inclusions that make each diamond unique. Inclusions can
be crystals of other material or another diamond
crystal. Imperfections in the crystal structure can be
tiny cracks which can lead to cloudy and whitish
appearance. The number, size, location,
orientation and visibility of inclusions can affect the
clarity of diamond. Many organizations have developed
systems to grade clarity based on the inclusions and
imperfections. Only a trained professional can view
these imperfections viewed by magnification of 10X.
The availability of
diamonds with high clarity is very low. About 20% of all diamonds mined have
clarity ratings good enough to be used as gemstone while the remaining go for
industrial use. Of the 20 %, very few diamonds are found to be without any
inclusions (called “eye-clean") and are therefore preferred by most buyers,
although their price shoots up because of their rarity. Though most inclusions
do not affect a diamond’s brilliance and structural integrity, large cracks and
cloudiness may affect its ability to disperse and scatter light.....
Read more...
Diamond Color
Diamonds are found in nearly all colors in nature; over
300 colors have been identified in infinite numbers of shades and hues.
Yellow and brown are the most common ones. When the amount of impurity
in a diamond is near saturation level, it gives diamond a visibly
different look than the normal whitish diamonds and therefore are
sometimes called fancy colored diamonds by gem traders. The other
whitish diamonds are graded in the range of white diamonds.
Pure diamond does
not absorb any part of the spectrum and therefore disperses light in all colors
of the spectrum. If impurities are present (atoms of substance other than
carbon), then some part of spectrum gets absorbed and diamond appears
colored.....
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Diamond Cut
A diamond cut is considered to be the most important
characteristic for judging diamond quality. Even if the mined diamond
has good clarity and desired color, the cut determines the overall look
and feel of the gem. Cutting a diamond works like making finished
product (gemstone) out of raw material (the mined diamond). A cut refers
to symmetry, polish and proportioning more importantly than the shape of
cut (round, oval, cushion, square etc). A well cut diamond can even hide
defects and impurities within and thus improve brilliance and color of
the cut diamond, whereas a poor cut diamond would degrade a diamond’s
quality and value.
A cut determines the amount of brilliance the gem would
exhibit. It includes parameters like roundness, width,
depth and face uniformity. Cut is most important as it
is the only factor that determines the final
presentation of the diamond. However, there is no
universal standard which states the best and perfect
proportions of a brilliant cut........
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Diamond Carat Weight
Carat is used to measure a diamond’s weight. It is
generally confused with “karat" which is the measure of purity of gold. A carat
equals 0.2 grams or 0.007 ounce. A diamond’s price is determined by its carat
weight and the price per carat. Total Price = Weight x Price per Carat.
All other things being equal, the greater the carat
weight, the rarer the diamond and the more expensive it
is. Although bigger is assumed to be better, diamonds of
all carat weight have equal charm.
To choose the ideal carat weight, consider the
following:
The recipient's
personal style, finger size, and the size and style of the setting
Keep in mind that
the smaller the finger, the larger the diamond will appear. A 1½-carat diamond
solitaire looks much larger on a size 4 finger than a size 8.
If you have
already chosen a setting, make sure you choose a diamond that looks appropriate
in the ring.
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Don't Forget the 5th C!
The Four C’s mentioned above are the basic guidelines for buying a good
quality diamond, but these Four C’s can only be deciphered by expert
gemologists. They use highly sophisticated spectrometers and other necessary
equipment required for the inspection of diamonds in laboratories. The 5th C is
considered to be Diamond Certification! A document is generally issued by such
laboratories explaining the vital characteristics and grading of the 4 C’s.
Read more...
Did you Know about More C’s?
Did you know about more diamond Cs that are also as important in making
a good decision about buying a diamond? Whether you're buying an engagement ring
or an anniversary present for your mate or a glittering bauble for yourself,
there's more to learn about diamonds than the traditional 4Cs of cut, clarity,
color and carat...
Read more...
Structure of a Faceted Diamond
The natural beauty of a diamond
is enhanced by how it is cut because the fluorescence, light dispersion etc.
depends on how well it is cut. The widest part of any round diamond, the
part in the middle, is known as the girdle, which is probably quite self
explanatory. The top part, above the girdle is known as the crown, and the
lower part below the girdle is known as the pavilion. The point or small
facet at the very bottom is known as the culet........
Read more...
Learn More about Diamonds
A symbol of innocence, justice, faith
and strength, the diamond was believed to make its wearers courageous and
victorious over their enemies. When set in gold and worn on the left side, it
held the power to drive away nightmares and soothe savage beasts. Diamonds were
even thought to be so powerful that they could stop lechery.
Diamonds have lured and
fascinated us for centuries. Their ores and lore recorded romantic and
bloody events in the past. Diamonds have been long cherished and sought
after, fought over and killed for in the human history simply because of
its beauty and the fascination....
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The 4 Cs of Diamond
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