Diamond Basics
Diamond shape refers to a diamond’s physical form and is often one of the first attributes that are considered when shopping for a diamond. While round diamonds are the most popular, there are many shapes such as princess, pear, emerald, asscher, cushion, and heart-shaped diamonds.
The 4 C's: Carat, Clarity, Color, Cut
If you shop for diamonds, remember the 4 C’s of diamonds: Carat, Clarity, Color, and Cut. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is the most well-respected and renowned diamond grading entity. They provide certification based on the 4 C’s and more. See image on the bottom of this page.
Carat is the unit of measurement used to describe the weight of a diamond. It is often the most visually apparent factor when comparing diamonds. Diamond prices actually rise exponentially with carat weight rather than linearly. A general rule of thumb is that a diamond of double the weight costs around four times more.
Clarity is determined by the visibility of natural microscopic inclusions and imperfections within a diamond. Diamonds with little to no inclusions are considered particularly rare and highly valued. The lower the number of imperfections and flaws in a diamond’s aesthetic appearance, the higher the clarity grade. When determining the optimum clarity for a diamond, keep in mind that no diamond is entirely pure. However, the closer it gets to purity, the clearer it becomes. Clarity scale: FL, IF, VVS1, VVS2, VS1, VS2, SI1,SI2.
Color refers to the natural color or lack of color visible within a diamond. The closer a diamond is to “colorless,” the rarer it is. Diamond color is a measurement of rarity, not quality, and having color in a diamond is not necessarily a negative attribute. Color scale: Colorless (D,E,F) Near Colorless (G,H,I,J,K) Faint (L,M,N,O).
The cut of a diamond refers not to its shape, but to the balance of proportion, symmetry and polish achieved by the diamond cutter. The extent of how well the diamond is cut is directly correlated to the diamond’s overall beauty. The better a diamond has been cut, the greater the diamond’s ability to reflect and refract light. Cut scale: Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.
