How can I choose a diamond?
We all love diamonds and we intend to purchase one sooner or later. I prepared here a brief tutorial to help you make the best decision next time, hopefully soon.
The quality of a diamond is determined by the 4C’s: Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat. These four parameters of Diamond’s Quality are the main components for the evaluation.
What determines the value of a diamond?
Gradings of the 4 C’s help determine the value of a diamond and indicate its quality. Diamond sellers often set their prices based on grading reports. Knowing the basics of these gradings is helpful when comparing two similar diamonds. But what remains most important is how the diamond appears to the naked eye—and how attractive the diamond is overall. In this sense, having a foundational understanding of the 4 C’s is imperative as a buyer, so that you can avoid spending your budget on a component that will go unnoticed.
The 4C’s are: Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat
Cut
Cut is the biggest indicator of beauty, and should be made priority over the other C’s.
Diamond Cut specifically refers to the quality of a diamond’s angles, proportions, symmetrical facets, brilliance, fire, scintillation and finishing details. These factors directly impact a diamond’s ability to sparkle, along with its overall aesthetic appeal.
The characteristics of a well-cut diamond are superior brilliance, fire and scintillation.
Brilliance relates to the reflection of white light.
Fire is the dispersion of light into the colors of the rainbow.
Scintillation is the play of contrast between dark and light areas—it’s the sparkle.
Clarity
A Diamond’s Clarity grade evaluates how clean a diamond is from both inclusions and blemishes. Surface flaws are called blemishes, while internal defects are known as inclusions. Although these inclusions frequently can’t be seen with the naked eye either.
Clarity is graded by the GIA on the following scale:
- FL (Flawless)
- IF (Internally Flawless)
- VVS1 (Very, Very Slightly Included 1)
- VVS2 (Very, Very Slightly Included 2)
- VS1 (Very Slightly Included 1)
- VS2 (Very Slightly Included 2)
- SI1 (Slightly Included 1)
- SI2 (Slightly Included 2)
- I1 (Inclusions 1)
- I2 (Inclusions 2)
Carat
Often when people hear the term “Carat Weight,” they think it refers to the size of the diamond. Actually the term carat comes from the ancient method of weighing precious metal and stones against the seeds of the carob tree—which were considered to be even in weight.
But it was just in1907, at the Fourth General Conference on Weights and Measures, that it was agreed upon that one diamond carat would be equal to 200 mg.
It is important to remenber that depending on the Diamond’s Shape and its cut, the weight will vary greatly.
Here are some tips for your next purchase
Keep ring size in mind. The smaller the finger, the larger the diamond will appear. A 1.50 carat diamond solitaire looks larger on a size 6 finger than a size 8.
Each of the 4 C’s contribute to the overall beauty of a diamond and make each stone singular. A Diamond, however, should be viewed as an organic whole.
To fit your budget, choose the size of the diamond you wish and go for a brown one.
Remember, all diamonds are unique, and rarely perfect. Place it between your fingers and make your choice.
