The 4 Cs of Diamonds
CARAT
Carat is the standard unit of weight for
diamonds. The origin of the word "carat" comes from
"carob." Carob seeds were once used for weighing
diamonds.
One carat equals 1/5 of
a gram, or .007
of an ounce.
All other things being equal, as the diamond's weight increases, so does its value and rarity.
COLOR
Diamond color is standardized with the GIA grading system. To be more accurate, a diamond's color can be more accurately described as the lack of color. Most naturally-occuring diamonds have impurities which give them a slight yellowish tint.
Colorless diamonds are very rare in nature, and are therefore the most valuable. The GIA scale begins with the letter D and ends with the letter Z, ranging from colorless to yellow.
CLARITY
Most diamonds have "inclusions," flaws which affect their clarity. An inclusion can be a line, bubble or spot which was created when the diamond was being formed deep in the earth. Most inclusions are not visible to the naked eye. Diamonds are graded from flawless to imperfect based on the number of inclusions, and their placement.
CUT
Don't mistake cut for the shape of a diamond. While the shape is a matter of taste and preference, the cutting grade is determined by the artisan's attempt to
maximize the refraction of light at every stage of the cutting process. Most brilliant or fancy cuts possess 58 carefully angled surfaces, called facets. The placement of the facets affect the fire, beauty and brilliance of the diamond.
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