four Cs |

The Four Cs: Carat

May 6, 2013 Jennifer

When selecting the engagement ring of your dreams there are four important points to consider, the Four Cs. We’ve gone over Cut, Clarity and Color in previous posts the final C is Carat. The carat is the weight of your diamond. Let’s not confuse carats and Karats however. 18k gold is completely different from an 18 ct. diamond which would be a monster of a rock.

The carat is the unit of measurement which is used to designate the weight of a diamond. As defined by the metric system a “carat” is equal to 0.2grams (or about the weight of a small paperclip). The carat is then subdivided into 100 points, think of it as a dollar with 100 pennies: ½ carat is 0.50 cts. When weighed, a diamond will be assigned its weight to the closest 100^th decimal place. So a quarter carat diamond will be written out as having a weight of 0.25 cts. This helps the jeweler to be as precise as possible in weighting the diamond.

But it’s not all about the size here ladies. There are the other characteristics to consider. A larger diamond isn’t always going to be the best choice or render the most bang for your buck. When comparing two diamonds with the same color grade, cut and internal clarity yes, a larger diamond will cost considerably more than a smaller diamond. This is especially true because prices rise exponentially with size due to the fact that larger diamonds are rare. But if size is what you’re going for it is possible to find a large diamond of poor quality with less sparkle at a similar price to a smaller diamond with exquisite quality and high sparkle. It’s all about preference and priorities.

For more information on carat weight and a handy interactive chart: GIA

The Four C’s: A Guide to Clarity

May 2, 2013 Jennifer

You’re flawless, why shouldn’t your diamond be? If you’ve read our other articles on the Four C’s you’ve already decided you’re going with a colorless ideal cut diamond, now you have to choose its grade of clarity. What!? You don’t know what diamond clarity is? No worries we’ve got you covered.

Diamonds, while nearly indestructible, are not insusceptible to blemishes and inclusions. Blemishes, such as scratches, are issues on the outside of the diamond. Inclusions on the other hand are internal problems such as

crystals or minerals trapped inside the diamond during its formation. It’s up to a professional diamond grader to examine them under 10x magnification to determine how severe the inclusions are.

Diamond clarity, like color is graded on the GIA scale which is divided into 6 different categories:

Flawless(FL): It’s all in the title. The most expensive and rare diamonds have NO blemishes or inclusions, even under 10x magnification.

Internally Flawless(IF): No inclusions are visible under 10x magnification.

Very Very Slightly Included(VVS1 and VVS2): (yes that’s the professional jargon) Inclusions very difficult to see under 10Xmagnification.

Very Slightly Included(VS1 and VS2): Inclusions can be seen with some effort under magnification, but are minor.

Slightly Included(SI1 and SI2): Inclusions are noticeable under magnification.

Included(I1, I2 and I3): Inclusions can be seen without 10x magnification. It can even affect the transparency and sparkle of the diamond.

If you’re trying to decide what’s right for you keep in mind that until you drop the “S” the grade of the diamond won’t affect the look of the diamond to the naked eye, but will change in value.

For more info: GIA

The Four C’s: A Guide to Cut

April 29, 2013 Jennifer

The best tool anyone can carry with them when shopping for an engagement ring is knowledge. It’s important to know what you want, but it’s not going to be easy to express that if you lack the terminology necessary to explain. As a continuation of the previous delve into diamond 101 (A Guide To Color) let’s discuss another one of the Four Cs. Cut.

Cut, not to be confused with shape, does not designate the shape that your diamond will be styled. It actually decides how much light will be reflected by your diamond. The better the cut the more sparkle.

Let’s get to know your diamond. It is comprised of 5 parts: the table, the crown, the girdle, the pavilion and the culet.

basic_diamond_proportions — Source: Choosing Diamonds

The depth of the pavilion is integral is creating the best sparkle. A diamond can fall into

any of 3 basic cut categories: ideal, shallow and deep.

Shallow Cut: A shallow cut means that the pavilion is too short. More light will escape through the sides and bottom of the diamond; it runs right through it instead of reflecting back. As a result the diamond is less sparkly and a bit dull.

Ideal Cut: The ideal cut, is well, ideal. It is cut with the perfect proportions to reflect the most light back out of the table of your diamond. The brilliance of this diamond is of the highest quality, as well as, the highest value, because during its production more of its raw material is cut away.

Deep Cut: The deep cut means that the pavilion is too long, this often causes light to be redirected to the wrong facets of the diamond allowing more light to escape. The center usually appears darker.

For more information about cuts: Jewellery Monthly and Brilliance