Diamonds - the 4 C’s
Carat, Color, Clarity, Cut
What does this mean?
You have to know: as better a diamond’s quality, as more splendid is its fire, as more magic is the diamond and as more charisma has the stone.
Two diamonds of the same size may seem the same at the first look, but they may differ in value a lot.
The 4 C’s are the criteria to determine the quality and value of a diamond.
Carat
The weight of a diamond is measured in carat. One carat has 0.2 grams. One carat consists of 100 points. Therefore the weight of 50 points corresponds to 0,50 carat. The point system is usually used for diamonds of less than one carat.
Color
A pure and structurally perfect diamond is transparant with no color. White light enters into a transparent diamond and leaves the diamond in rainbow colors. That’s why we also speak of white diamonds.
But natural diamonds are not always totally perfect. The color of a diamond is affected by chemical impurities or structural defects in the crystal lattice. Most diamonds are transparent with a little tint. It depends on the coloration of the diamond if the color increases or decreases the value of the diamond. Colored diamonds are often called fancy colored diamonds. These fancy colored diamonds are rare and therefore often more expensive.
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has developed a rating system for the color of white (non-fancy colored) diamonds. It starts from D for colorless diamonds to Z for a bright yellow color.
Diamond color intensity scale:
- colorless: D, E, F
- near colorless: G, H, I, J
- faint yellow or brown: K, L, M
- very light yellow or brown: N, O, P, Q, R
- light yellow or brown: S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z
Clarity
Most diamonds have small natural characteristics which are called inclusions. Inclusions may be crystals of a different material or structural imperfections. Clarity is a measure of these internal defects. The number, size, color, location, visibility affect the clarity of a diamond. The GIA has developed a rating system to grade the clarity of diamonds. Diamonds with higher clarity grades are more valued - “flawless” graded diamonds are therefore the most expensive diamonds. The clarity grades are based on the characteristics of inclusions visible to the naked eye and under 10x magnification.
Diamond clarity grades:
Inclusions visible under 10x magnification
- IF - Internally flawless
- VVS - Very very small inclusions
- VS - Very small inclusions
- SI - Small inclusions
Inclusions visible to the naked eye
- P1 - 1st pique visible inclusions
- P2 - 2nd pique inclusions
- P3 - 3rd pique large inclusions
Cut
The cut of a diamond describes in which manner a diamond has been shaped and polished, because these factors determine the brilliance and the fire of the diamond. The goal is an optimum between brilliance and color distribution. The number of the facets, the distribution on the top half and the lower half, the symetrical order and the angles are important for a perfect cut.
The cutting and the proportions determine the brilliance of a diamond.
There are mathematical guidelines for the angles and length ratios at which the diamond is supposed to cut at in order to reflect the maximum amount of light.
There are several techniques for cutting diamonds which have been developed over hundreds of years. The most common cut is the round brilliant cut which was developed by Marcel Tolkowsky. The modern round brilliant has 57 facets, 33 on the top half (crown) and 24 on the lower half (pavilion). The crown diffuses light into various colors, the pavilion reflects light back through the top of the diamond.
Is the diamond not cut according to the right proportions, the brilliance of the diamond suffers a lot.
Read our diamond shoppping guide on how to decide on the 4 C’s of a diamond.