If you have ever gone shopping for jewelry, diamond jewelry in particular, you have most likely been told about the four C’s of diamonds. But what does it all really mean and how can you be sure you are actually getting what you want? To help you through the struggles of buying diamond jewelry we have laid out all four of the factors in an easy to understand guide below.
Cut – Of all of the four C’s, Cut is the only characteristic that is man made. Every diamond is taken by a person called a cutter and he painstakingly cuts the diamond in just the right way in order to give the jewel a sparkle. How the diamond reflects light is dependent on how the diamond is cut. Diamond jewelry can be bought in ideal, excellent or very good Cuts. The better the cut, the more expensive the diamond is.
Clarity – This is the factor that tells you how clear a diamond is. Many imperfections can not be seen by the naked eye and the clarity rating will help let you know just how many imperfections are in the diamond jewelry you are looking at. There are two categories used to describe defects in the diamond; inclusions (which are internal) and blemishes (which are external). The fewer imperfections the diamond has, the more expensive and rare the diamond will be.
Carat Weight – This is the easiest of the C’s to understand. The carat weight is simply the size of the diamond. This is also one of the biggest factors in determining how much a diamond costs.
Color – Diamonds color are graded on a scale of D-Z. Diamonds that are graded a D through F in color are considered to be colorless. Grades G through J are considered to be near colorless. The human eye can begin to see color in a diamond starting a I-J range.
When you are purchasing diamond jewelry it is important to pay attention to the four C's of diamonds. They will help determine the quality of the diamond that you are purchasing and will help you to make sure you are getting a fair deal.