The Four Cs

Cut

The term "cut"- also referred to as a stone's "make:- is especially important because of its effect on the beauty and personality of a diamond. When we evaluate the cut, we are really judging the stone's proportioning and finish, the two factors that are most directly related to producing the fire (the lovely rainbow colors that flash from within) and brilliance (the liveliness, the sparkle) that sets diamond apart from all other gems.

Color

Color is one of the most important factors to consider when selecting a diamond because one of the first things most people notice is whether or not the diamond is white, or, more accurately, colorless (there actually are white diamonds, but they are extremely rare and not very attractive). It is also one of the most significant factors affecting value.

Color refers to the natural body color of a diamond. The finest and most expensive "white" diamonds are absolutely colorless, as in pure spring water. Most diamonds show some trace of yellowish or brownish tint. Diamonds also occur in every color of the rainbow. Natural-colored diamonds are called fancy-color diamonds. Fancy colors include red, pink, green, yellow and brown.

Clarity

Flaw classification--also called clarity grade--is on of the criteria used to determine the value of a diamond. As with all things in nature, however, there is really no such thing as "flawless". Even though some very rare diamonds are classified "flawless," the term is somewhat misleading, and you must be sure you understand what it really means.

When we talk about this classification, we are referring to the presence of tiny, usually microscopic, imperfections. The word flaw suggests something bad, but this is not really the case; rather, the flaw grade simply provides part of the complete description of the stone. It is important to understand that as diamonds form in nature, every diamond develops certain types of internal characteristics. They might be microscopic cracks shaped like feathers--some are quite lovely when viewed with the microscope--or microscopic diamond crystals, or even crystals of some other gemstone! Every diamond contains distinctive internal characteristics. In the jewelry trade, these internal characteristics are called inclusions, something included within the stone as it was forming in nature.

Each diamond's internal picture--its internal character--is unique. No two are alike, so the clarity picture can be an important factor in identifying

Carat

Diamonds are sold by the carat (ct). A carat weighs 200 milligrams. Jewelers often refer to the carat weight of diamonds in term of points. This is particular true of stones under a carat. There 100 points to a carat, so a jeweler says that a stone weighs 75 points, he means it weighs 75/100 of carat or 3/4 carat. A 25 - point stone is 1/4 carat.

The carat is a unit of weight, not size. We wish to stress this point, since most people think that a one-carat stone is a particular size. Most emerald, for example, to look the same size or to have the same apparent dimensions. This is not the case. Emerald weighs less than diamond and ruby weighs more than diamond.