The 4 C’s of Diamonds

There are several factors that determine the value of a diamond. These factors, called “The Four C’s”, stand for clarity, color, cut and carat weight. Before you purchase a diamond, you should familiarize yourself with the four C’s and how they work to assess the value of your precious stone.

Clarity

Clarity refers to the purity and clearness of a diamond. The number, size, location and nature of any imperfections found determines what clarity grade the diamond has. These imperfections are called inclusions if found internally and blemishes if the flaws are external.

If you purchase a diamond that has been disclosed as “clarity treated” prior to the sale, you should be aware of the two methods that can be used to enhance the clarity of a diamond – laser drilling and fracture filling.

Laser drilling involves drilling a tiny hole into the diamond, whereby the bulk of the imperfection can be removed. Fracture filling is used to fill in tiny cracks and flaws in a diamond with a clear, glass-like substance. This treatment is not permanent and will wear away over time.

Color

A diamond’s color involves assigning a grade to the diamond based on how much color is visible in the stone. Diamonds can range in shade from nearly colorless to yellow. They can also have slight tints of yellow, gray, or brown. Pink, blue, green, red, and intense yellow diamonds are also available but are exceptionally rare. As such, these “fancy” diamonds greatly enhance the value of the stone.

Some diamonds have been color treated before sale and should be disclosed as such. Color treated diamonds undergo a method of irradiation treatment followed by heat treatment to influence the color of the stone. In most cases, this method is not recommended because of the risk of the diamond changing color over time.

Cut

Proportions, finish, polish and symmetry combine to describe the cut of a diamond. Additionally, these factors help assess the brilliance of the stone (how well the diamond reflects light.)

Well cut diamonds will always be much more valuable than poorly cut stones, and as such will command a premium price. Because of this, diamond cutters take great care to cut diamonds to reflect the most light possible.

Carat Weight

Carat refers to the actual weight of the diamond, not the visual size. Carat weight is determined based on a 100 point system where 1 carat is equal to 0.20 grams. The larger the carat weight, the more valuable a diamond will be. For example, a 1 carat diamond will always be worth much more than 2 half-carat diamonds, because the 1 carat diamond is harder to find.

Clarity, color, cut and carat weight are all very important to determine the value of a diamond. Each factor must be taken into consideration when assessing the value of a stone. When taken together, the four C’s are a very accurate depiction of the worth of your diamond and can help you find the perfect stone for your needs.

Tags: carats, diamond clarity, diamond color, diamond cut, diamond weight, the 4 C’s of diamonds

This entry was posted on Friday, May 8th, 2009 at 3:36 pm and is filed under Buying Diamonds, Center Diamonds, The 4 C's. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.