Diamonds come in different shapes, colors, and sizes. So, how do you know how much your diamond is worth? The answer is knowing the 4 Cs. The 4 Cs (Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat) are the factors that influence the quality grading of a diamond. The value of the diamond can change significantly even with a slight difference in any of the 4 characteristics.
Color
Diamonds come in different colors, but the colorless ones are the most expensive and more valuable. Colors are categorized by the alphabet letters color scale, D to Z, with D being colorless and Z having light yellow to brown color. Do you know where your diamond lies on the color scale? Match your diamond color here.
Cut
The cut of a diamond is the proportion, symmetry, and polish of the diamond, rather than its physical shape. The cut is determined by three optical factors: brilliance, fire, and scintillation. Brilliance is the brightness of how white light reflects on the diamond surface and internal structure. Fire is the flashes of color on the visible spectrum. Scintillation is the light and dark pattern that the diamond creates. The scale of a diamond’s cut is categorized from excellent to poor. Check the different cut quality here.
Clarity
There are two factors to look at when considering the clarity of a diamond: the inclusion and blemish. Inclusion is the internal flaws in the diamond and blemishes are the external marks on a diamond. A valuable diamond lacks both of these features. Every diamond differs from one to another, which means no two diamonds will have the same inclusion and/or blemishes. These flaws can only be seen under 10x magnifying devices. Clarity is categorized into 6 types (Flawless, Internal Flawless, Very Very Slightly Included, Very Slightly Included, Slightly Included, and Included). Can you see the flaws in these diamonds?
Carat
Carat (c.t.) is the universal metric unit of the weight of a diamond. One carat is 0.2 grams and is about the weight of a paper clip. The carat scale is measured out of 100 points, meaning if it the diamond gets 25 points on the carat scale the diamond weighs 0.25 carats. The greater the carat, the more valuable the diamond is. However, it also means the bigger the diamond is there are chances for more flaws, such as color, in the diamond.
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