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The
Four C's of Diamonds
Color
When it comes to color, a pure diamond is considered the most stunning
and most rare. Diamonds are graded by color, starting at D and continuing
through the alphabet. Truly colorless stones are given a D grading
and are treasured for their rarity. While many diamonds appear colorless,
they may actually have subtle yellow or brown tones and these color
grades include P and Q. Although still beautiful, they will be less
rare and therefore less valuable. "Fancy" diamonds—in
well-defined colors that include red, pink, blue, green and canary
yellow—are highly prized and particularly rare.
Cut
Cut may be the single most important factor in producing a truly
magnificent diamond. A well-cut diamond, regardless of its shape,
sparkles with fire and light, offering the greatest brilliance and
value. The cut is also the only factor that can be determined outside
of nature. While a diamond's clarity, carat weight and color occur
naturally, the hand of a master craftsman is necessary to release
its sparkle, fire and beauty. When a diamond is cut to good proportions,
light will reflect from one mirror-like facet to another and disperse
through the top of the stone. The results are a display of brilliance
and fire. Diamonds that are cut too deep or too shallow let light
seep through the sides or bottom. As a result, poorly cut stones
are less brilliant and less valuable than masterfully cut diamonds.
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Clarity
The purer
the clarity of the diamond, the more beautiful and valuable it is.
Like any naturally occurring substance, diamonds contain identifying
characteristics. While these natural phenomena—called inclusions—may
not be visible to the naked eye, they can usually be seen through
a jeweler's 10x- magnifying loupe or microscope. Mirroring nature,
these inclusions often look like tiny crystals, clouds, or feathers.
Diamonds categorized as internally flawless reveal no such inclusions
and are treasured for their rarity and beauty. Diamonds with very,
very small inclusions are graded as VVS1 or VVS2. The larger the
inclusion, the lower the grade and the less rare the diamond. The
number, color, type, size and position of surface and internal inclusions
affect a diamond's value. Major inclusions can interfere with the
path of light that travels through a diamond, diminishing its brilliance
and sparkle and therefore its value.
Carat Weight
As with any precious or semi-precious stone, the larger a diamond
is, the more valuable it is. A diamond's size is measured in carat
weight, and each carat is equal to 100 points. A .75 carat diamond
is the same as a 75-point diamond or a 3/4 carat stone. But you
cannot judge a stone by size alone. Diamonds of equal size may vary
widely in value and brilliance, depending on their qualities of
clarity, cut and color.
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