Evaluating Diamond Quality With The Four Cs

If you're uncomfortable when it comes to shopping for diamond jewelry, you may be thinking about how you can get a fair price. After all, most shoppers are searching for the highest level of diamond quality at an affordable price. That's where learning and using the four Cs comes in handy. By knowing what to look for in the cut, color, clarity and carat size of a gem, you'll be better prepared to make a smart buying decision.

All About The Four Cs - Basics You Need To Become Familiar With

1. Diamond Cuts - The cut of a diamond takes into account two aspects of its appearance, its make and shape. The shape of a diamond can vary quite a bit, but overall, a round brilliant cut is typically the most desirable. This type of cut is composed of 58 facets, which gives the stone a brilliant luster. Princess, radiant and marquise cuts are also valued higher than other diamond cuts.

The make of a cut determines the quality or craft of the workmanship done on the stone. If the diamond has a better make, this corresponds to a greater sparkle, and the make enhances its quality. A diamond's true beauty can be brought out with a high quality make.

2. Diamond Color - Diamonds don't have to be the sparkling clear color we all think of when we think of diamonds. In fact, diamonds come in a range of colors. These colors are denoted by an alphabetical list, ranging from D to X. White diamonds marked with a D label represent the palest color. Yellow fancy diamonds are still high quality and are assigned an S label. Diamond colors E and F have excellent and beautiful qualities while J to M apply to desirable colors for diamonds that are larger in size. Diamonds that are blue, red, pink, green and brown typically denote diamonds that have been treated with radiation.

3. Diamond Clarity - Clarity is an important part of the quality of your diamond. The most treasured diamonds are flawless or perfectly clear, both inside and on their surfaces. Next in quality are internally flawless diamonds, but that have some small surface blemishes. If diamonds have inclusions making them less clear, or if the inclusions can be seen with the naked eye, they rank lowest for clarity.

4. Diamond Carat Weight - The carat size of a diamond will tell you how large it is. Of the four Cs, carat is considered last because a diamond's cut, clarity and color are deemed more important. But make no mistake, the size and weight of a diamond impacts how much you can be charged for it.

Carats are typically measured in points. Accordingly, one carat is assigned 100 points, while half a carat is assigned 50 points, and so forth. This means that a diamond's price can vary greatly for as few as 5 to 10 points. That's why you must know exactly how big a diamond is in exact carats and therefore points.

Regardless of whether you're shopping for new or used diamonds, you'll be able to know you're getting just what you're paying for once you understand diamond quality as determined by the four Cs.