ABOUT DIAMONDS
The 4 Cs - Cut, Colour,
Clarity and Carat - are used throughout the jewellery industry to
describe the quality of diamonds. A brief overview has been provided
below, however, we welcome you to come in for an obligation free
consultation where we can show you the 4 Cs in the context of real
diamonds.
Cut
Diamonds are cut into various shapes, including brilliant (round),
princess (square), baguette, pear or heart. However, when we talk
about Cut in the context of the 4 Cs, we are primarily talking about
the proportions, symmetry and finish of a diamond.
Whilst the Clarity and Carat are dictated by nature, the Cut is
the most directly influenced by the human hand and is the most
important of the 4 Cs. A good cut gives a diamond its sparkle.The
angles and proportions determine a diamond’s ability to handle
and reflect light and generate the brilliance. In a diamond that
is well-cut, light enters through the table and travels through
the stone where it is reflected from one side to the other before
the light is returned back to the viewer’s eye.
While Cut is the most important factor in a diamond’s beauty,
unfortunately there is no uniformity in either terminology or method
of grading between the major laboratories. The first problem the consumer
will encounter is the fact some labs have a top grading of "Ideal",
others "Excellent" and another "Very Good":
GIA: |
Excellent
- Very Good - Good - Fair - Poor |
HRD: |
Very
Good - Good - Medium - Fair - Poor
|
AGS: |
Ideal
- Excellent - Very Good - Good - Fair - Poor |
DCLA: |
Excellent
- Very Good - Good - Medium - Poor
|
GSL: |
Very
Good - Good - Medium - Poor
|
Whilst the grades are not identical, we generally recommend buying
a diamond with a “Good” grade or better regardless of
who has done the certificate. Avoid diamonds with grades of “Medium”,
“Fair” or “Poor”, as the alignment of their
facets may misdirect light so severely that it affects the brilliance
of the diamond.
Colour
Colour refers to the degree to which a diamond appears colourless.
Diamonds are graded on a colour scale established by the Gemmological
Institute of America which ranges from D (colourless) to Z (strong
yellow or brown). Whilst completely colourless diamonds graded "D/E/F"
are treasured for their rarity and are highly valued, the near colourless
grades “G/H/I” are also considered “white”
but are more affordable.
An important factor to consider when selecting colour is the type
of setting you plan on using. If you plan on mounting the stone in
a platinum or white gold setting, consider a diamond in the D-G range.
Yellow gold will be more forgiving to a less than colourless stone,
but regardless of the setting, the diamond will start to appear yellow
if the colour grade is lower than about J.
Diamonds can also be found in fancy colours like pink, champagne,
cognac, blue, green, amber or even red. These rarely occurring colours
are referred to as 'fancies' and are evaluated by a different set
of colour standards.
Clarity
Clarity refers to the presence of identifying natural characteristics
on the surface and within the diamond. Diamonds with no or few inclusions
and blemishes are more highly valued than those with less clarity,
not just because they are more pleasing to the eye, but also because
they are very rare.
Clarity grades range from Flawless where under 10x magnification a
diamond is completely free of blemishes and inclusions to Imperfect
3 where diamonds possess large, heavy blemishes and inclusions that
are visible to the naked eye.
Though flawless diamonds are the rarest, a diamond does not have to
be flawless to be stunning. Diamonds with VVS and VS grades represent
excellent choices for both value and appearance. Even diamonds with
an SI rating do not have inclusions that are visible to the naked
eye and offer a more affordable option.
Carat
Although commonly thought to refer to the actual size of a diamond,
a carat is a standard unit of measure that defines the weight of a
diamond. Carat sizes are also expressed as "points", with one carat
equalling 100 points.
Larger diamonds are found much less frequently in nature. Thus, for
example, a one carat diamond will cost more than twice that of a 0.50
carat diamond (assuming colour, clarity and cut remain constant).
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