Learning the 4Cs

The basics on how to choose a diamond.

Your guide to diamond quality and value. A diamond is judged by four distinct factors that combine to arrive at its value. These are commonly known as the "4 C's."

• Color
• Clarity
• Cut
• Carat

Color

Good Color is No Color

The best color for a diamond is no color. Because it is the totally colorless diamond that acts as a prism, allowing light to pass effortlessly through the diamond and be transformed into rainbows of color. To give a woman the purest white diamond is to show your true colors as well.

The color grading scale goes from totally colorless to light yellow. The differences between one grade and another are very subtle, as can be seen by the number of grades within any one category.

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Cut

There is cut, and then there's cut.

Many people confuse cut with the shape of a diamond. Most diamonds are cut with a full 58 facets, and a good cut, or make, has more scintillation, more sparkle.

The shape of a diamond, however, is largely a matter of personal preference and does not affect the value purse. It is the work of a master cutter that allows the diamond to be cut in such a way as to permit the maximum amount of light to be reflected through the diamond. And that's the a great reflection on you.

How a diamond handles light:

It is the cut that enables a diamond to make the best use of light.

1. When a diamond is cut to good proportions, light is reflected from one facet to another and then dispersed through the top of the stone.
2. If the cut of the diamond is too deep, some light escapes through the opposite side of the pavilion.
3. If the cut is too shallow, light escapes through the pavilion before it can be reflected.

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Clarity

A Rarity

Diamonds, more than any other gemstone, have the capability to produce the maximum amount of brilliance. A diamond that is virtually free of interior or exterior inclusions, (commonly called flawless) is of the highest quality, for nothing interferes with the passage of light through the diamond.

To determine a diamond's clarity, it is viewed under a 10 - power magnification by a trained eye. Minute inclusions neither mar its beauty nor endanger its durability. However, the clearer the diamond, the clearer your choice.

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Carat

Bigger is not necessarily better.

This is the size of the diamond measured in carats. One carat is divided into 100 "points" so that a diamond of 75 points weights .75 carats.

Size is the most obvious factor in determining the value of a diamond. However, two diamonds of equal size can have very unequal values, depending on their quality. Also, diamonds of high quality can be found in all size ranges.

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