The Four C's of Diamonds
Many people in the market for a diamond, especially first-time buyers, are unsure of what exactly to look for when picking out their stone. There are a variety of factors that ultimately create each diamond’s unique beauty and brilliance. The most important of these factors are what we refer to as the Four C’s of Diamonds.
- The Carat Weight
- The Cut
- The Color
- The Clarity
At Jeweler’s Touch, we understand that everyone has their own diamond preferences, which is why we are dedicated to ensuring all of our customers have the right resources to discover the perfect diamond for their needs
0.25 Carat
4.1 mm
0.50 Carat
5.0 mm
0.75 Carat
5.8 mm
1.00 Carat
6.5 mm
1.50 Carat
7.4 mm
2.00 Carat
8.2 mm
The Carat Weight
All diamond owners have been asked the question “How many carats is your diamond?” Typically the greater the carat weight of a diamond, the rarer, and more valuable it is. What is a carat, though? The word carat was derived from the word carob, which is a Mediterranean seed that was often used for measuring due to its remarkably consistent weight. In fact, five metric carats are only equivalent to 1 gram!
Although each ring has its own size constraints, many of our engagement rings will fit a diamond up to 5.00 carats. Prong settings can fit virtually any size diamond, while tension set diamonds and bezel set diamonds have stricter limitations on sizes. While everyone has their own diamond preferences, many people in the market for a diamond are aiming to purchase the largest diamond they discover. For our customers with size as their top priority, our diamond experts at Jeweler’s Touch can assist you in classifying the proper cut, color, and clarity to fit your jewelry, as well as your budget.
Too Shallow
Ideal Cut
Too Deep
The Cut
It’s not the size that determines a diamond’s brilliance, but its shine. The secret behind a diamond’s beauty lies in the precision of its cut. Often the term “cut” is confused with a diamond’s shape, such as round brilliant or princess cut. The cut we are talking about refers to the way the diamond is cut to maximize its brilliance or sparkle. The quality of cut is graded based on the proportions and the symmetry of the diamond. The grading takes into consideration a variety of factors, including…
- The depth of the diamond
- The table size of the diamond
- The height and angle of the diamond’s crown
- The diamond’s girdle thickness
These cuts reflect the light that enters the diamond, meaning the more precise the cut, the more brilliant the shine. The ‘ideal cut’ for a diamond would be one that allows the maximum amount of light to return through the top of the diamond.
D
E-F
G-J
K-M
N-R
S-Z
The Color
For some customers, color is the last thing that they think of in the diamond purchasing process. The color of a diamond is known to give depth and character to the stone. Diamonds typically range from colorless to yellow or even light brown. The less color detected, the rarer the diamond. The most commonly sold diamonds are…
D - Colorless
E-F - Colorless
G-J - Near Colorless
K-M - Faint Yellow
N-R - Very Light Yellow
S-Z - Light Yellow
Diamonds are also known to be found in a spectrum of elegant colors such as yellow, blue, and even red. After “Z” on the color scale, diamonds become fancy yellow, which costs more due to their rarity. The color of a diamond may also appear different depending on the ring it is set in. While a yellowish diamonds set in yellow gold may appear colorless, the same diamond in white gold or platinum would illuminate its color.
F-IF
VVS1-VVS2
VS1-VS2
SI1-SI2
I1
I2-I3
The Clarity
Diamonds considered to be absolutely perfect are pretty difficult to come across. In fact, many diamonds have small blemishes or inclusions that occur naturally. Every single one of our diamonds at Jeweler’s Touch is individually, hand-graded by a professionally trained diamond grader using a 10x magnification lens. The grading scale goes from “Flawless” to “I3”.
F (Flawless) - No inclusions or blemishes are visible to a skilled grader.
IF (Internally Flawless) - No inclusions and only blemishes are visible to a skilled grader.
VVS1-VVS2 - Inclusions are difficult for a skilled grader to see.
VS1-VS2 - Inclusions are clearly visible but can be characterized as minor.
SI1-SI2 - Inclusions are noticeable to a skilled grader.
I1-I3 - Inclusions are obvious and may affect transparency and brilliance.
*All diamonds are viewed through a 10x magnification lens by diamond graders.