Whether you are buying your first diamond or have already made several purchases, making this type of purchase is not something you do on a regular basis. However, once you understand more about the universal diamond grading system and how it works, it will make it much easier for you to make the right choice every time you set out to buy diamonds or diamond jewellery.

The 4 Cs of diamond quality is the universal method for assessing the quality of any diamond, anywhere in the world. The4 Cs of diamond quality mean two very important things: diamond quality could be communicated in a universal language, and diamond customers could now know exactly what they were about to purchase.

What are the 4 Cs? They are the all important:

• Cut
• Colour
• Clarity
• Carat

Cut

When we speak of cut we are more interested in the proportions of the diamond as opposed to its shape (Round Brilliant, Marquise, Pear, Princess, etc.) Every diamond regardless of its shape gets it brilliancy by cutting and polishing the diamond facets to allow the maximum amount of light that enters through its top to be reflected and dispersed back through its top. If the angles are correct the light that enters is dispersed properly back through the diamond’s top facets. When a stone is cut too shallow or too deep, the light that enters through the top is allowed to escape through the diamond’s bottom and does not allow the maximum beauty of the diamond to be realised.

Colour

Diamonds come naturally in every color of the rainbow. However, most people are concerned with diamonds in the white range. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) rates the body colour in white diamonds from D (colourless) to Z (light yellow). The best colour for a diamond is no colour at all. A totally colourless diamond allows light to pass through it easily, resulting in the light being dispersed as the colour of the rainbow. Colours are graded totally colourless to light yellow. The differences from one grade to the other are very subtle and it takes a trained eye and years of experience to colour grade a diamond.

Clarity

The clarity of a diamond is determined by the amount and location of flaws, or blemishes, in the diamond when viewed under 10 power (10x) magnification. GIA rates clarity grades in diamonds from Flawless to Imperfect 3.

Most diamonds contain very tiny birthmarks known as “inclusions.” An inclusion can interfere with the light passing through the diamond. The fewer the inclusions, the more beautiful the diamond will be.

Diamonds have the capability of producing more brilliance than any other gemstone. A diamond that is free of inclusions and surface blemishes is very rare…and therefore very valuable.

There are several different recognised grades of clarity:

FL: Absolutely flawless.

IF: Internally flawless as determined by an expert grader under a minimum of 10X magnification.

WS1-WS2: Those with very, very slight inclusions that are hard to find under 10X by an expert grader.

VS1-VS2: Those with very slight inclusions easily seen under 10X magnification.

S1-S2: Those with slight inclusions that can be seen by a skilled grader at 10X magnification.

I1, I2, and I3: Those with imperfect inclusions that can be seen with the naked eye without the need for magnification.

Warning: Some jewelers will drill into the diamond to remove an inclusion and then fill the hole back in using liquid glass. Referred to as “fracture filled diamonds”, these stones are not as valuable. However, any reputable jeweler will be able to see that a diamond has been subjected to this type of treatment.

Carat

This is the weight of a diamond measured in carats. As the carat weight of a diamond increases so does its rarity and therefore its price.

One carat is divided into 100 “points,” so that a diamond of 75 points weighs .75 carats. The carat-weight of a diamond is the easiest measurement to determine. Most importantly, two diamonds can be of equal carat-weight, but their value can differ greatly due to their cut, color, and clarity.

Now that you are well armed with the information you need, we hope you enjoy your next diamond purchase!