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Diamonds

The diamonds and the 4 C's

Whether you're buying a diamond as a gift or treating yourself, choosing the right diamond is as easy as learning the Four C's -Carat Weight, Color, Clarity and Cut.

Carat Weight

Of the 4 C's, Carat Weight is probably one of the most important considerations with respect to rarity, value, and consumer preference. In fact, Carat Weight, or how much the diamond weighs is the most significant value factor in a diamond. Because diamonds by nature are rare, a 2 carat diamond is actually about 3 times more valuable than a comparable quality 1 carat size.

Statistically a 1 carat is one in a million diamonds mined, and a 2 carat is one in five million diamonds mined. Therefore, all things considered a 2 carat diamond is really "value priced" based on the rarity factor.

To assist in you in selecting the right size diamond here is a review of some key Carat Weight concepts. The term "Carat" is derived from the "Carob Seed", which is today used as a food flavoring. In ancient times this fairly consistent seed was used in "pan-balance" scales to determine the weight of precious items traded like gold, silver, and yes gemstones and diamonds! In the early 1900's the "Carat" was standardized to equals 1/5 of a gram or .20 gm. Therefore, 5 carats = 1.00 gram. The Carat is further broken down into "points".

There are 100 points to a Carat, just like 100 pennies to a dollar. Common diamond Carat Weights sold typically range from 1/5 Carat (20 points) to 1 Carat (100 points) and larger! Diamonds smaller than 1/5 Carat are referred to as "melee" diamonds, and are quite often used to accent a center or feature diamond.

Color

It is interesting to note that diamonds actually come in the widest variety of colors of any gem material. Most gem quality diamonds however are desired for their lack of color. In fact, the closer a diamond is to colorless, the more rare and valuable it is. On the other hand, diamonds are also sought after by collectors in their extremely rare "fancy colors" including (from highest value), Reds (Pinks), Blues, Greens, and Fancy Intense Yellow.

The GIA grades diamonds on a scale from D (Colorless) to Z (Light Yellow). When a diamond is graded darker than Z on the GIA scale it is referred to as "fancy yellow", and the more color and intensity it shows, the more valuable it will be. Most diamonds have a slight hint of yellow, though brown and gray are also common modifying colors. Of all the diamond colors available, most consumers select GIA grades from D to J color. D-E-F are the "colorless" grades, and G-H-I-J are "near colorless".

diamond colors

The difference in each letter grade is very subtle, and color comparison diamonds of known grades are used under controlled lighting conditions. When viewed in the face-up position, the average person begins to see color in a diamond at about the I-J range. Therefore color is a rarity factor that does affect appearance, rarity and price, about 10-15% per color grade.

Clarity

Diamonds that are absolutely clear are the most sought-after and therefore the most expensive. But many diamonds have inclusions — scratches, trace minerals or other tiny characteristics that can detract from the pure beauty of the diamond. The GIA and AGSL use a detailed system of rules and standards to summarize the number, location, size, and type of inclusions present in a diamond.

diamond_clarity

FL, IF              Flawless, Internally Flawless: No internal or external flaws. Internally Flawless: No internal flaws. Very rare and beautiful diamonds.
VVS1, VVS2     Very, Very Slightly Included: Very difficult to see inclusions under 10x magnification. An excellent quality diamond.
VS1, VS2       Very Slightly Included: Inclusions are not typically visible to the unaided eye. Less expensive than the VVS1 or VVS2 grades.
SI1, SI2       Slightly Included: Inclusions are visible under 10x magnification, and may be visible with the unaided eye. A good diamond value.
I1, I2, I3   Included: Blue Nile does not carry diamonds of I-grade clarity.

Cut

The cut of a diamond determines its brilliance. There is no single measurement of a diamond that defines its cut, but rather a collection of measurements and observations that determine the relationship between a diamond's light performance, dimensions and finish. Most gemologists consider cut the most important diamond characteristic because even if a diamond has perfect colour and clarity, a diamond with a poor cut will have dulled brilliance.
The width and depth can have an effect on how light travels within the diamond, and how it exits in the form of brilliance.

Too Shallow: Light is lost out the bottom causing the diamond to lose brilliance.
Too Deep: Light escapes out the sides causing the diamond to appear dark and dull.

•     Ideal cut: Represents roughly the top 3% of diamond quality based on cut. Reflects nearly all light that enters the diamond. An exquisite and rare cut.
•     Very good cut: Represents roughly the top 15% of diamond quality based on cut. Reflects nearly as much light as the ideal cut, but for a lower price.
•     Good cut: Represents roughly the top 25% of diamond quality based on cut. Reflects most light that enters. Much less expensive than a very good cut.
•     Fair cut: Represents roughly the top 35% of diamond quality based on cut. Still a quality diamond, but a fair cut will not be as brilliant as a good cut.