Diamond Basics - The 4 C’s of Diamonds

carat, clarity, cut and color

Carat

The mass of a diamond is measured in carats. One carat is 200 milligrams. Diamonds less than one carat are measures in point units—equal to one 1/100 of a carat (0.01 carat, or 2 mg). The price per carat increases with carat weight. The price of a diamond is affected by more than just carat size. Other factors are clarity, color and cut.

Clarity

Clarity describes the clearness or purity of a diamond. This is a measure of internal defects called inclusions. These may be crystals of a foreign material or another diamond crystal, or structural imperfections such as tiny cracks that can appear whitish or cloudy. The number, size, color, relative location, and visibility of inclusions can all affect the relative clarity of a diamond. Those that do not have a visible inclusion are known as eye clean and are preferred by most buyers, although visible inclusions can sometimes be hidden under the setting in a piece of jewelry.

Color

Color describes the amount of color the diamond contains. This can range from colorless to yellow with slight tints of gray, yellow or brown. Colors can also range from intense yellow to brown, blue, green, pink and red. A chemically pure and structurally perfect diamond is perfectly transparent with no color.

Cut

The cut of a diamond refers to the proportions, finish, symmetry, and polish of the diamond. Diamond cutting is a highly refined skill of creating a gem-quality diamond out of mined rough. The cut of a diamond describes the manner in which a diamond has been shaped and polished from its beginning form as a rough stone to its final gem proportions. Diamond cut also describes the quality of workmanship; the quality of the cut is directly responsible for the stone's beauty.