The
4C's of diamonds
Understanding the four Cs of a diamond - cut, clarity,
color, and carat weight, the four factors which determine
the value of a diamond.
cut
clarity
color
carat
glossary
Cut
The cut is not the shape of the diamond, which many
people confuse it with. The cut, also called "make"
refers to the proportions of the facets of the diamond,
and unlike the shape of the diamond (which is based
on personal preference), the cut does affect the value
of the diamond.
It is the precision of the faceting which determines
the brilliance of the diamond. For example, most diamonds
are cut round with a full 58 facets. A good cut allows
for the maximum brilliance by cutting the diamond
in such a way that it permits the maximum amount of
light to be reflected through the diamond.
more
on cuts
Clarity
Clarity refers to the purity
of the diamond, and the absence or presence of inclusions
or blemishes either internally, or externally on the
surface of the diamond.
Virtually all diamonds have imperfections, some occur
naturally and others occur due to handling during
the mining process. These inclusions and blemishes
affect both the brilliance and price of diamonds.
Gem-graded diamonds receive a clarity rating based
on an industry standard scale. This scale ranges from
FL- flawless to I3 - an imperfect, heavily included
diamond.
True flawless diamonds, which are quite rare, are
so rated if under 10x magnification there are no visible
external or internal imperfections.
All diamonds set on our Diamond
Rings Collection are Vs quality.
more
on clarity
Color
Although the term color
is one of the four factors which determine the value
of a diamond, it is actually the lack
of color which gives diamonds their value. The more
colorless or nearly colorless a diamond, the more
value it has.
The color tinting found in diamonds is caused by impurities
within the stone.
There are two color categories with respect to diamonds,
white diamonds, which are the ideal engagement diamonds,
and fancy colored diamonds. Fancy colored diamonds
are measured by other standards, and unlike white
diamonds, are valued for their hues and saturation
of color such as yellows, pinks, and browns.
White diamonds are graded from D to Z according to
the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) color grading
scale, D for a colorless diamond to Z, for a saturated
diamond.
Diamonds graded D through F are more rare and therefore
more valuable. Diamonds graded G through I, however,
do not have any color that can be detected by the
untrained eye.
Diamonds graded J through M, have a faint yellow color,
but this color can be camouflaged by the setting ex:
yellow gold with hide traces of the yellow in the
diamond while white metal settings will enhance it.
All diamonds set on our Rings Collections are of F/G
color.
more on
color
Carat
Weight
The weight of any gemstone is
measured in CARATS. The word carat is taken from the
carob seeds that were
once used in ancient times to balance scales by merchants.
These seeds were perfectly uniform and symmetrical
in shape and weight.
One carat is equal to 200 milligrams, or .200 grams.
Diamonds are also divided into points. A carat is
divided into 100 points, so the same diamond can be
represented as weighing one carat, 100 points or 1.00
carat.
Size is not everything though. The carat weight of
the diamond alone does not determine its value. Two
stones of equal weight can vary in price and value
due to differences in quality, quality of cut, clarity,
and color.
The aim of a master diamond cutter is not to produce
the highest carat weight diamond, but to produce the
most brilliant, precisely and proportionally cut,
polished diamond at the highest carat weight.
Diamond weights
are broken up as follows:
Carat weights
(broken up as follows:) |
Carat
Points |
.40-.49
t
.50-.59 ct
.60-.69 ct
.70-.79 ct
.80-.89 ct
.90-.99 ct
1.00-1.24 ct
1.25-1.49 ct
1.50-1.74 ct
1.75-1.99 ct
2.00-2.99 ct
3.00-3.99 ct
5.00-5.99 ct |
1.00
carat = 100 points
.75 carat = 75 points
.50 carat = 50 points
.25 carat = 25 points
Melee < 0.15 |
Glossary
Anatomy
of a diamond
Cut
related terms
Clarity
Related Terms
Color
related terms
Anatomy
of a diamond and related terms
Crown
- The upper portion of the diamond, above the girdle.
Culet
- Small octagonal facet on the point of the pavillion
of a brilliant cut diamond.
Facet
- The flat polished surfaces of a diamond.
Girdle
- the narrow band separating the crown and the pavillion
of a polished diamond. It is the largest diameter
to any part of the stone.
Depth -
The height of the diamond, from the culet to the table.
Diameter
- The width of the diamond as measured through the
girdle.
Pavillion
- the lower portion of the diamond, below the girdle
and including the culet.
Although the pavillion is a usually a forgotten part
of the diamond since in most traditional bezel and
prong settings usually only the crown is highly visible
while the girdle and pavillion and hidden below the
setting, it is this part of the diamond, or rather
the pavillion's angles, that are the key to its brilliance.
Table
- Is the large facet in the center of the crown of
a polished diamond. On a round brilliant cut diamond,
the table is octagonal in shape.
The table percentage is the value which represents
how the diameter of the table facet compares to the
diameter of the entire diamond. For example, a diamond
with a 53% table has a table which is 53% as wide
as the diamond's entire diameter.
Cut
related terms
Brilliance
- is the ability of a diamond to reflect light and
is the intensity of the internal and external reflections
of white light through the crown of the diamond. Finish
and polish directly affect a diamond's brilliance.
Finish
- Finish is every aspect of a diamond's appearance
as a result of the cutting process. It refers to the
quality of the diamond's design, the precision of
its cutting details and faceting, the quality of the
girdle and polish. On a diamond's grading report,
the finish is graded according to two categories:
polish and symmetry.
Polish
- Is the overall condition of a facets's surface,
and any blemish on the surface of the diamond that
is not significant enough to affect its clarity.
Proportion
- Proportion refers to the dimensions and angles of
a polished diamond and their relationship to each
other. When a diamond is well cut, light is evenly
reflected back to the eye when the diamond is in the
face-up position. This means that light entering through
the table of the diamond travels all the way to the
pavillion where it reflects from one side to the other,
before reflecting back out through the table to the
eye. There are no visible dark areas on a well cut
diamond. The brightness which comes from the heart
of a well cut diamond is known as brilliance.
Scintillation
- is the ability to reflect and return white light
to the eye, and creates those quick flashes of light
when a diamond is tilted back and forth.
Dispersion
- are the facets, and the angles at which a diamond
is cut. Also called "fire", dispersion is
seen when a diamond is skillfully cut to break up
white light as it hits the surface, separating it
into spectral colors of red, blue, green etc. You
see dispersion, or fire, when small flashes of color
appear across the surface of the diamond as it is
tilted.
Symmetry
- Refers to the a diamond's proportions, such as a
properly centered table and culet and describes the
precision and exactness of the facet placement on
a polished diamond. Small variations can include misaligned
facets or facets that fail to point correctly to the
girdle (this misalignment is completely undetectable
to the naked eye). Diamonds that are graded as fair
or poor can indicate symmetry problems.
Clarity
Related Terms
Blemishes
- These occur on the surface of a diamond and are
usually a result of either a natural process or in
the mining process.
Common types of
blemishes:
Extra Facets
- When an inclusion is near the surface this cut is
made to eliminate it. This raises the overall quality.
In many cases, they do not affect the clarity grade.
With the naked eye it is difficult to detect in most
cases.
Naturals
- This is a small part of the original rough diamond's
surface which is left on the polished diamond. These
are blemishes, but they might also be regarded as
a sign of skilled cutting; the presence of a natural
reflects the cutter's ability to design a beautiful
polished gem, while still retaining as much of the
original crystal's weight as possible. In many cases,
naturals do not affect the clarity grade. In most
cases, they are undetectable to the naked eye.
Surface Graining
- This is a naturally occurring blemish. It does not
exactly occur on the diamond's surface; it is an integral
part of the stones structure and most likely cannot
be removed from the diamond without causing some weight
loss.
Clarity
- a term used to describe the absence, or presence,
of blemishes or inclusions in a diamond.
Inclusions
- These are certain characteristics that occur within
the diamond itself. Almost all internal inclusions
occur naturally.
Common types of
inclusions:
Cavities
- This is a larger version of a chip (another type
of inclusion, see below). Cavities are sometimes created
when an included crystal (also another type of inclusion,
see below) near the surface of a rough diamond is
removed by the diamond cutter, leaving this cavity
behind.
Chips
- A small, very shallow opening on the surface of
the diamond. Chips could be a naturally occurring
opening in the diamond, or could be created by removing
a tiny crystal.
Clouds
- Clouds are actually a cluster of a number of extremely
tiny inclusions that are too small to distinguish
one from another, even under magnification. Under
a microscope, this cluster of tiny inclusion many
times looks like a soft transparent cloud inside the
diamond.
Included Crystals
- Very minute crystals of other minerals or materials
that were absorbed while the diamond was growing.
Included crystals are usually undetectable by the
naked eye. Under
a microscope they often look like little round bubbles.
Feathers
- These are small fractures in a diamond, usually
caused by stress while the diamond was growing. Feathers
could occur either inside the diamond or on the surface.
The term "feather" comes from the fact that,
under magnification, these fractures often seem to
have the shape of a feather.
Knots
- A knot is an included diamond crystal that reaches
from the inside to the surface of the polished diamond.
Needles
- These look like extremely slender tiny needles even
under microscope.
Pinpoints
- These are included crystals, so extremely minute
that, even when magnified to 10x, they still only
look like little dots. They can sometimes be tough
to find.
Color
related terms
D-E-F: Colorless
group: Diamonds in this
color group are more rare, and therefore more valuable.
D and E show virtually no color and are clear like
glass. F starts to show the very slightest of color
and is the transitional color to the next group.
G-H-I: Near colorless
group: These diamonds
begin to exhibit a very light shade of color, but
do not have any color that can be detected by the
untrained eye.
J-K-L-M: Faint
yellow: These diamonds
begin to show a slight yellow color which may be noticeable
from the top of the stone and even more from the sides.
This color, however, can be camouflaged by the setting
ex: yellow gold with hide traces of the yellow in
the diamond. White metal settings will enhance the
yellow color.
N through R: Very
light yellow: Diamonds
in this group show yellow color even when mounted
in jewelry. Diamond in this color range are priced
the same. Certificates for diamonds in the N through
R color group are uncommon due to their low price.
S through Z: Light
yellow: Diamonds in this
group show color when either loose or mounted. Diamonds
in the S through W range are priced the same, and
bring the lowest price in the market. Diamonds in
the X through Z range and lower, however, are rare
and have a very appealing (fancy yellow) yellow color
which actually causes their price to rise. The more
intense the yellow, the higher the price. Fancy yellow
diamonds can be priced as high as diamonds in the
D color range, or more.
All diamonds set on our Diamond
Rings Collection are of F/G color.
