In the past, diamonds have been thought to be tears of the gods. With such strong beauty and brilliance, it is hard not to attribute diamonds with heavenly powers. They are the strongest and most beautiful natural creations in the world and are only made of one element: Carbon. Valued for its natural clarity and purity, diamonds have long been a symbol for beauty, elegance, and love. Most diamonds are primeval, meaning they are over a billion years old, making them truly “forever.”
The Four C’s
The Four C’s of diamonds – Color, Clarity, Cut & Carat weight – is the universal method for evaluating a diamond’s quality. To understand your diamond, you must understand these four characteristics.
Color
In order to measure a diamond’s color, a scale of D to Z is used. This scale measures the amount of color the diamond reflects from “colorless,” (D) to “light” (Z). The diamond is compared to master stones under controlled viewing conditions. The more colorless a diamond is the higher its per-carat price. When a diamond is completely colorless, the price increases significantly because of its rarity.
Clarity
To grade a diamond’s clarity, you must evaluate the number, size, relief, nature and position of these features. These are determined by looking at the diamond under 10 x magnifications. A diamond’s clarity is relative to amount of “inclusions” and “blemishes” that it has. And the clearer a diamond is, the more the value increases.
Cut
The cut of a diamond affects its brilliance and how it interacts with light. Great precision and craftsmanship are necessary in order to maximize the return of light in a diamond. The proportions, symmetry, and polish all play a part in how bright and vividly a diamond will sparkle. The higher the cut grade the brighter the diamond.
Carat Weight
Diamonds are sold by weight. One carat is equal to 0.20 grams. Only 1 in 1,000 diamonds weighs more than a carat. It is not always true that a larger diamond is more expensive. The difference in color and clarity can make a small diamond much more valuable than a large one.
Fancy Colored Diamonds
Fancy colored diamonds are the most valued gems in the world. Those with the stronger color are some of the rarest.The most valuable fancy color diamonds are saturated pinks, blues, and greens. And unlike gem diamonds that decrease in value as their color becomes more obvious, a fancy colored diamond’s value increase with the strength and purity of the color.
