The 4C’s
The First C: Diamond Clarity
Clarity is a measure of a diamond's internal flaws. Because diamonds are formed in nature, the great majority of them contain microscopic inclusions such as bubbles, spots, lines or feathers - markings that make every diamond unique and identifiable. In fact, diamond-grading certificates include a "plot" of inclusions that can be used to identify the diamond. So long as these inclusions are small in size and do not hamper the diamond's ability to reflect light, they will not affect its beauty. In fact, most inclusions cannot be seen by the naked eye. Generally speaking, however, the fewer the inclusions, the more valuable the diamond.
Flawless/Internally Flawless:
A completely inclusion-free diamond is extremely rare and is classified as either Flawless (FL) or Internally Flawless (IF), which means the diamond has no inclusions visible to a trained gemologist using a 10x magnification.
Excellent Quality:
VVS1, VVS2 - Very, very slightly included but very difficult to see even under 10x magnification.
Very Good Quality:
VS1, VS2 - Very slightly included, with inclusions not usually visible to the naked eye and seen with difficulty under 10x magnification.
Good Quality:
SI1, SI2 - Slightly included, with minute inclusions that can be seen under 10X magnification and possibly visible to the unaided eye.
Poorer Quality:
I1, I2, I3 - Inclusions visible under 10x magnification as well as to the naked eye.
The average eye, unaided by magnification, does not usually see inclusions in an SI2, whereas it will see them in an I1, with some exceptions.
When you are ready to choose your diamond, selecting a professional jeweler that you have confidence in is of paramount importance. Choosing a competent professional in our field is as important as selecting an accountant, attorney or any other professional with whom you entrust your care. You need to ask yourself some important questions. Who is it that you are working with? Are they a professional or a trained sales clerk? How hungry are they for your business? Are they working on a sales commission? Or absurd mark-ups? Any jeweler can show you beautiful diamonds from his inventory and give you prices.
A professional jeweler won't insult your intelligence and knows you are making a very important purchase. Established retail jewelers pride themselves on their reputation and can show you the differences between various qualities of diamonds and how these differences affect the price they are asking.
How is one to know if one is receiving real value? This is the dilemma that is posed in shopping for a diamond. To achieve the greatest value for dollars spent, ask yourself, is my jeweler willing to disclose every, and all aspects of a particular diamond not just the 4C's?
Thomas Michaels Designers, as award winning jewelry designers and manufacturers, have supplied clients worldwide a level of design, craftsmanship and ultimately value, unavailable elsewhere. We never have a vested interest in a diamond or precious gemstone that we broker or represent to you. For 34 years we have built our reputation on sincerity and the relationships that is built between us.
The Second C: Diamond Color
Discussion of a white diamond's color may seem counter-intuitive at first because the most desired color in white diamonds is, in fact, no color. Color is judged by how far the diamond deviates from pure white and, generally, lower quality diamonds are those with yellowish or brownish tints. The best way to see a diamond's color is to look at it against a white surface. However, color grades are so subtle, it is often difficult to distinguish the difference with the naked eye. Gemologists grade the color of a diamond by comparing it to a master set of diamonds. The master set is a collection of carefully graded diamonds chosen for their color accuracy so they can be used in the color grading of other diamonds.
Few diamonds are totally colorless, but the less color that is present in the diamond, the more rare the diamond and the greater its value. Because of the molecular structure of a diamond, its color will never change over time.
Letters are used to grade the color of white diamonds. The highest grade of white diamonds is D, the most rare and the most costly, and progresses down the alphabet for lower qualities. Even though color grades D through F are at the top of the list, you can find beautiful diamonds that are graded near colorless in grades from G through J. Here is what the grades mean:
Grades D-F: in colorless range:
D Colorless: no color whatsoever
E Colorless: only minute traces of color that cannot be seen by the untrained eye
F Colorless: slight color that can be detected by a sophisticated eye, considered colorless.
Grades G-H: Near colorless, each having a slight tint of color, increasing as they progress down the alphabet
Grades H-J: Near colorless, but slight tints noticeable when compared with higher-grade diamonds
Grades I-J: Near colorless, but color is slightly detectable
Diamonds are graded by the alphabet until they concentrate so much color as to become fancy colors, which make them more valuable for their color depth. Colored diamonds occur in canary yellow, pink, red, violet, blue, orange, red and green. Depending on their color intensity, they may be extremely expensive.
Colored diamonds intensity of color is graded into the following categories: Light Fancy; Fancy; Fancy Intense; Fancy Vivid; and Fancy Deep.
The Third C: Diamond Cut
Cut is the only quality of a diamond that is controlled by the human hand, in this case, the gem cutter, who shapes the rough crystal into a sparkling gem. The gem cutter's precision is critical because it is the cut of a diamond that dictates its brilliance and fire and releases its beauty. A diamond's quality of reflection - or brilliance - is tied to how well light is reflected and refracted within the stone.
Generally, light enters a diamond through the table, travels down to the pavilion where it reflects from one side to the other, and then reflects back up through the table to the eye of the viewer. The better proportioned the stone is and the more precise the angles of its facets are, the more light will be reflected. That is why, regardless of the shape of a diamond, each cut is created based on precise mathematical proportions.
The standard brilliant cut, still the most popular cut, was developed in 1919 and contains a total of 58 facets. Brilliance is an extremely important factor in judging the quality of a diamond. Even if a diamond has perfect clarity and color, if it is cut poorly - that is, too shallowly or too deeply - light will enter the table but instead of reflecting back, will get misdirected out the sides or bottom of the stone, resulting in less fire and brilliance.
On most laboratory reports there are grades assigned to polish and symmetry - components of the cut of the diamond and factors affecting brilliance. The major factors considered in the cut of a diamond are:
The size of the table in proportion to the diameter
The angle of the crown, which should be a minimum of 30 degrees, a maximum of 37 degrees from the horizontal.
The angle of the pavilion facet, which should be between 40 and 42 degrees from the horizontal. Note: The accepted angles deviate slightly from these numbers, depending on which cutting standard you are following.
The thickness of the girdle. This measurement varies from extremely thin to extremely thick with categories in between. The thickness of the girdle should not exceed more than 2% of the depth of the diamond.
To understand symmetry you have to consider the function of a diamond's cut. A diamond has to efficiently refract and reflect light back to the eye of the viewer. The light that enters a diamond, mostly through the table, is bent and mirrored throughout the stone and returned back to the eye. The facets of the diamond act as tiny mirrors, and when they are correctly positioned, return virtually all of the light that enters the gem. The better the symmetry, the more accurately the facets are positioned or related to each other, more of the entering light will come back out to sparkle and scintillate in the eye of the admirer. Symmetry denotes the correct relative relationship and lineup of the facets in the top section of the diamond (above the girdle) referred to as the crown facets, with the facets of the bottom section (below the girdle), called the pavilion facets. The accuracy of symmetry in the cutting of a diamond adds to the gem's sparkle and beauty.To get the most beautiful diamond one should buy a diamond with a symmetry rating of "good," "very good," or "excellent."
Among the most prominent diamond grading laboratories are: Gemological Institute of America (GIA) ; American Gem Society (AGS); Diamond High Council of Belgium (HRD) ; International Gemological Institute (IGI) ; European Gem Laboratory (EGL) These are the well-recognized laboratories. There are many other small accredited and non-accredited laboratories that are less well known.
The Fourth C: Diamond Carat Weight
Carat refers to the weight of a diamond. The term carat comes from carob seeds which, because of their uniform weight, were used in ancient times as measuring standards. Weighing diamonds has come a long way since ancient times, but some of the traditional terms are still used by some dealers. For example, a half-carat diamond is a two-grainer; a three-quarter carat a three-grainer, a one-carat a four-grainer, etc.
In diamonds, five carats equal one gram. For jewelry purposes, however, the carat weight of a stone is stated either in points or is written in decimal form rounded to hundredths. For example, a one-carat diamond is labeled 1.00 carat, or 100 points, a half-carat stone will be labeled 0.50 carats, or 50 points, a quarter-carat stone will be labeled 0.25 carats, or 25 points, etc.
More small diamonds are found in diamond mines than large ones. The larger a diamond, the more rarely they occur in the earth's crust, and have a higher value per carat and a greater total cost. A diamond weighing two carats will not look twice as large as a one-carat stone because the measure of a diamond is volumetric (three-, rather than two-dimensional).
If you want a large carat weight but price is an issue, consider balancing the color, clarity or cut - or all three - to achieve your goal.
The word carat should not be confused the word "karat." Karat refers to the purity of gold; carat refers to the weight of a diamond.
