Diamond Quality: The Four Cs

In the past century, the diamond industry has bloomed, and the diamond has become a universal symbol of eternal love and commitment. But how exactly is a diamond’s value determined? There are four basic qualities that experts look at when determining the value of a particular stone. The four value categories are known as the “Four Cs”, and they are carat, color, clarity and cut. The following is a brief rundown of what each of them is about.

Carat
Carats are what a diamond’s (and all other gems’) weight is measured in. The bigger the carat weight, the larger the diamond usually is. Large diamonds are much harder to come upon, so they are more expensive (in general) than smaller diamonds. One carat is equivalent to ? gram. But there are other factors that affect a diamond’s value. Size alone doesn’t necessarily guarantee a higher price.

Color
Another factor that determines a diamond’s overall quality is its color. Most diamonds are not perfectly clear white. They range from white to yellow. D is the highest color grade for diamonds, and the grades continue down alphabetically until you get to Z. D through G grades are top quality
. After grade H, a slight hint of yellow starts becoming noticeable.

Clarity
Like all precious stones, diamonds contain small, nearly imperceptible imperfections inside them. These imperfections are called inclusions, and their prevalence is what determines a diamonds clarity grade. The less imperfections it has, the higher its clarity grade is, and therefore its value. The highest clarity grade is IF and there are nine other grades. Towards the lower half of the scale, inclusions start becoming visible.

Cut
Lastly, there’s the cut. A diamond’s cut is one of the most important considerations. It dictates the shape of the diamond and its ability to refract light. The quality of the cut is dependent on the skill of the diamond cutter and the quality of the tools used. All diamonds have to be hand cut, and each cut type varies in complexity and skill required to perform it. Some of the most common cuts are the emerald
, oval, princess, radiant and round cut. The round cut is by far the most common. It was among the first cuts invented, and it was designed to increase a diamond’s light refraction.





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Diamond Quality: The Four Cs

Diamond Quality: The Four Cs / Ryan Frank

Ryan Frank is a 23 year writer and blogger living in San Diego, CA