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It would be almost impossible to find a person who doesn’t understand the value or even the beauty of diamonds. These precious stones have become an embedded aspect of diverse cultures around the world. Diamonds are things of value to own, and rare items of beauty to behold. While almost everybody could agree that diamonds are the most valuable gemstones in use today, only a few people would actually have the knowledge to make an educated diamond purchase. Whether you’re considering purchasing from an online engagement rings supplier, or even if you’re working with custom jewelry designers, knowing what makes a diamond special is absolutely essential.
Understanding the Four C’s
Every diamond is graded based on four important measures. To those in the industry and those in the know, these are referred to as the Four C’s. These measures are Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carat. Let’s take a look at each one individually, and how understanding the Four C’s could help you when buying online engagement rings.
Diamond Color
Color is graded from D to Z, with D being the most desirable value. Diamond color grading is not about looking for a diamond with the most color but means searching for one with the least amount of color. A perfectly colorless diamond would be rated D and would indicate no visible hue within the diamond. A clearer diamond can pass light better, allowing for a more prominent sparkle when a diamond is exposed to natural light. If you are interested in commissioning custom jewelry designers, then you’ll need to aim for the highest color grading that you can find.
Diamond Clarity
Clarity and color are sometimes confused when it comes to online engagement rings, but they’re actually quite different. In a diamond rating, Clarity refers to imperfections in a diamond. Because diamonds are formed naturally, the perfect stone could never exist. Even when a diamond is cut with absolute precision, there would still be microscopic blemishes. The highest possible rating for a diamond is FL, which means that the diamond is flawless when viewed under 10x magnification. The next grade is IF, meaning Internally Flawless under 10x magnification. An IF diamond may have some imperfections caused by the cutting of the stone. Ratings also include VVS (very, very slightly included), VS (very slightly included), SI (slightly included), and I (included).
Inclusions and blemishes can impact the value of a diamond, but the imperfections won’t typically be perceivable by the untrained eye.
Diamond Cut
Diamonds come in different shapes and sizes, including princess, round, pear, cushion, heart, and marquise. Whether you choose one of these shapes or one of the many other diamond shapes, you will find that the stone is given a rating for its cut. This is an indicator of how well the diamond has been shaped, and is essentially a measure of geometry and the consistency of that geometry. Near perfect cuts will allow for better sparkle and refraction of light, and will make for a more impressive diamond.
Cuts are graded Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor. The size of the diamond can have an influence on how easy it is to notice a bad cut. For diamond online engagement rings that use a single stone, a higher cut grading is preferred. For custom jewelry designers who use a number of small stones in a piece of jewelry, a lower grade cut can be used, without having a significant impact on the final product.
Diamond Carat
Diamonds are weighed with a measurement known as a Carat. The average size of a center stone used in an engagement ring is around 1 carat. A single carat is equivalent to 0.2 grams.
For diamond jewelry like earrings or necklace pendants, diamonds up to 5 carats in weight are sometimes used. There’s no real rule about the size of the diamond that is used, and it’s even possible to purchase beautiful online engagement rings that use a number of smaller stones that add up to a high combined carat weight. If you’re thinking purely in terms of investment and value, then a single stone will be more valuable than a number of small stones that add up to the same weight.
Purchase in Confidence with the Four C’s
Next time you’re looking for online engagement rings, or if you’re submitting a special request to custom jewelry designers, you’ll be able to use the Four C’s to ensure that the stone you are buying is really worth the money. Always ask for a verified independent diamond grading, and don’t be afraid to insist on something better if you are offered a stone that doesn’t meet your expectations.
Understanding the Four C’s. Essential advice for online engagement rings. Color, clarity, cut, and carat explained for consumers.
