If you are looking for more information on diamond quality then, you’ve come to the right place.
A Guide To Diamond Quality
Diamond Quality
It has rightly been said that diamonds are a girl’s best friends. Whether you’re a girly girl or the serious, no-frills type, truth is you’re going to be drawn to these sparkling, magical gems just like every other woman on the planet! If you have decided to purchase a diamond, being in the know about the different aspects of quality is imperative. While all diamonds will no doubt look gorgeous to the untrained eye, fact is that you should be able to recognize differences in quality and should get your money’s worth. Anybody who decides to shop for a diamond jewelry piece needs to learn about “The Four Cs”- color, cit, clarity and caret.
The 1st C: Color
Check The Color
When it comes to the color of a diamond, the less color visible, the more precious the gem is. Completely colorless diamonds are extremely rare and hence extremely expensive. Diamonds are rated in terms of color from D, which is a colorless state, to Z, which is a light yellow. The colorless rule applies to regular diamonds, but when it comes to diamonds in fancy colors such as blue and pink, these are extremely extravagant, valuable and coveted.
The 2nd C: Cut
Checking Diamond Quality
While the term ‘cut’ usually reminds people about the shape of the diamond, it actually refers to the style in which the diamond has been cut and the facets have been created in order to enable light to fall into the gem and reflect back in the most impressive manner. For a diamond to be considered extremely well cut the light should fall straight into its center and then reflect back directly to the person’s eye. When the cut style is compromised upon in order to retain the largest amount of shape possible the light from the diamond tends to seep or leak from the sides and bottom of the stone. To be able to evaluate the cut of diamond, shoppers should request a GIA or AGS Certificate.
The 3rd C: Clarity
Clarity
The term clarity refers to the degree of flawlessness of a diamond in terms of scratches, flaws, inclusions and air bubbles. The fewer the number of flaws in the diamond, the more precious and hence more expensive it is. The clarity of diamonds is measured according to the following scale :-
* F/ Flawless- it is completely devoid of inclusions
* IF/ Internally Flawless: minute inclusions, only on the external surface
* VVS1-VVS2/ Very Very Slightly Included- in such diamonds the inclusions are so minute they are nearly invisible even to the most experienced graders, even under 10x magnification.
* VS1-VS2/ Very Slightly Included- these diamonds include very small flaws that can be seen only by extremely experienced graders under 10x magnification.
* S1-S2/ Slightly Included- such flaws are invisible to the naked eye but become visible under 10x magnification.
* I1-I3/ Included- the clarity is such that the flaws can be easily seen by the eye and this hampers quality.
A Three Stone Diamond Ring
The 4th C: Carat
The final C, known as Carat, refers to the dimensions of the stone. Most people are concerned with the carat of the diamond and use it as the ultimate barometer for judging a stone’s quality. Fact is that the carat of the diamond is important, but it is not the only thing you should be concerned with. The caret however is a good way of judging the style of diamond a person likes. People who are interested in chunky pieces will naturally be attracted to diamonds with high carat value.
