Judging Diamond Quality with the Four Cs
Admirers of diamonds need to know diamond quality in order to judge whether or not they are making a good purchase at a reasonable price. The most basic thing in judging diamond quality is an understanding of the four Cs namely Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat. Examining a diamond carefully is important in order to judge its quality. After purchasing a diamond, some degree of care is required in its use in order to maintain its quality.
Cut of a Diamond
The cut of a diamond includes two aspects of its appearance: shape and make. Shapes vary widely for diamonds but, on the whole, a round brilliant cut is the most desirable one. It is made with 58 facets, giving the diamond a brilliant look. Radiant, princess, and marquise cuts are also valued higher than other shapes. The make of a cut refers to the quality or craft of workmanship. A better make gives greater sparkle to a diamond, greatly enhancing diamond quality. The real beauty of a diamond depends heavily on its make.
Diamond Color
Diamonds are found in a wide range of colors. The color of a diamond is defined on an alphabetical list, ranging from D to X, for white and yellow diamonds, such that D represents the whitest color and growing into fancy yellow color at S. Diamond colors E and F are generally admired for their excellence and beauty while J to M are regarded as desirable colors for larger diamonds. Green, pink, red, blue, and brown colors are usually the result of treatment of diamonds with radiation.
Clarity of a Diamond
Clarity is an important property that determines diamond quality. The most precious diamonds are perfectly clear or flawless both inside and on the surface. Next higher in quality are internally flawless diamonds that carry some minor blemishes on the surface. Diamonds having inclusions are considered as less clear and those in which inclusions can be seen with the naked eye rank the lowest on clarity.
Carat Weight of a Diamond
Carat is the measure of the size of a diamond. Of the four Cs that determine diamond quality, carat is usually the last thing to consider because clarity, cut, and color are held more important. Still, carat is important as it influences a diamond's price significantly. Carat is usually measured in points such that one carat consists of 100 points, half carat having 50 points, and so on. The price of a diamond can vary significantly for as low as 5 to 10 points hence it is important to know a diamond's exact carat weight in points.
