DIAMOND EDUCATION





Every diamond is a result of time and place and chance.

No two are exactly alike. Each one is unique.


The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) was the first to create a standard by which diamonds could be judged: Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat Weight - also known as the 4C's. Today, the 4C's of Diamond Quality is the universal method for assessing the quality of any diamond, anywhere in the world.


The creation of the Diamond 4C's meant two very important things: diamond quality could be communicated in a universal language, and diamond customers could now know exactly what they were about to purchase.



DETERMINING THE VALUE OF A DIAMOND





The key to a diamond's value is its rarity, since no two diamonds are alike. Rarity is determined by a diamond's unique characteristics as measured by the Four C's.



cut





A diamond's cut is crucial to the stone's final beauty and value. Of all the diamond 4Cs, it is the most complex and technically difficult to analyze. A cut grade is about how well a diamond's facets interact with light. Precise artistry and workmanship are required to fashion a stone so its proportions, symmetry, and polish transmit light, sparkle and brilliance.



color





Establishing a diamond's color is based on the absence of color. Diamonds may actually have subtle shades of yellow or brown, although they may appear colorless to the naked eye. The closer a diamond is to having no color, the more rare and expensive it is.



clarity





Natural diamonds have a variety of internal characteristics called 'inclusions' and external characteristics called 'blemishes.'

The number, size and location of these characteristics determine diamond clarity. While no diamond is perfectly pure, the closer it comes, the higher its value.

Many inclusions and blemishes are too tiny to be seen by anyone other than a trained diamond grader.



carat





The weight of a diamond is measured in carats, making it the easiest of the four C's to determine. All else being equal, diamond price increases with diamond carat weight, because larger diamonds are more rare and more desirable. But two diamonds of equal carat weight can have very different values depending on three other factors of the diamond 4Cs: Clarity, Color, and Cut.


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