Diamonds: The Four C’s

When it comes to purchasing diamonds, there are four qualities that every buyer should be concerned with. These qualities are often referred to as the Four C’s. The Four C’s include Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat. Along with the Four C’s, it is important to choose a diamond that has been cut in the shape that you prefer. Whether it is diamond earrings, a necklace or a solitaire ring, choosing diamonds by their shape is imperative to finding the jewelry pieces that are most suitable for each wearer. Some of the most popular diamond shapes include, Round, Princess, Emerald, Asscher, Marquise, Oval, Radiant, Pear, and Heart.

The first of the Four C’s is Cut and it has been said that the Cut is the most important feature of any diamond. It is the Cut of the diamond that will determine the amount of radiant light reflected by your diamond.. If the Cut is considered to be too shallow, the diamond will result with a loss of light and will be dull. If the cut is too deep, then the diamond will become darkened. When choosing diamonds, it is essential to consider the Cut of the diamond and choose a diamond that has a Cut that you admire and can afford. Diamond Cuts range in values including: Fair, Good, Very Good, and Ideal. Ideal is the best cut and ensures that the diamond that you have purchased will reflect nearly all light that passes through it. An ideal diamond cut is very rare and is often highly expensive. A diamond with a Very Good cut is a diamond that is very close to an Ideal cut by reflecting nearly the same amount of light, but is considerably less expensive than the Ideal cut.

Clarity is important to the diamond connoisseur as well. Clarity will determine how many scratches or flaws are on the diamond surface. You can gauge a diamond’s clarity by using a rating. FL stands for Flawless, and is the highest degree of Clarity that a diamond may possess.

Your diamond will act like a prism, breaking light and reflecting it into a beautiful hue of rainbow colors. This projection is called “fire”. To determine the level of a diamond’s fire, the diamond is graded by color. This is due to the fact that a diamond with a high degree of natural color will project less fire than a diamond with very little natural color. Color grades range from D (which is the highest grade and represents very little or no natural color) to Z.

Finally, the last of the Four C’s includes Carat. Carat is the weight of the diamond and one can easily choose a diamond and their preferred Carat based upon their budget needs. The higher the Carat or weight, the more expensive the diamond will be. By working with the Four C’s and choosing a diamond that is in the shape you prefer, you can easily purchase diamonds that are both beautiful and magnificent and fit within your desired budget.