Here we will learn the diamond's characteristics and the diamond's 4C's definitions. This will help you with your diamond jewelry purchase to determine if the quality of the diamond is worth its price, depending on the piece of jewelry.
The quality and value of diamonds are measured by four characteristics known as the 4C's. The 4C's relate to a diamond's cut, color, clarity and carat weight. The carat weight measures the size of the diamond. Of all the 4C's, cut is the characteristic directly influenced by man; meanwhile, color, clarity and carat weight are influenced by nature.
Next, I will show you the definitions of each of the 4C's related to diamond jewelry characteristics:
A very important characteristic of a diamond is the clarity or the clearness of the stone. The clearer the diamond the more valuable it is, Diamond Clarity shows the absense or presence of flaws or blemishes. Diamond Clarity can be treated, flaws can be fixed by filling cracks inside the diamond or using a laser treatement, eventhough this last one is not a permanent treatment.
When shopping for a diamond the jeweler should let you know if the piece has been treated in any way. If it has, you should always ask how to take good care of the diamond after your purchase. For more information on how to keep your diamonds shining visit our
diamond care tips.
Carat is the weight term used on diamond related terminology. When shopping for a diamond ring for example you will find carat weight from 1/4 carats to 5 carats or even heavier diamonds. Your purchase depends on your wallet's thickness ;) You should also pay attention to the quality, clarity, color and cut of the stone, all these characteristics have an equal influence on the value of the stone.
Keep reading below for the definitions of the 4C's.
Diamond's Color
I wanted to talk on this segment about the actual color or diamonds that can be found in nature. Please visit Diamond.com for detailed information on grading diamond colors.
There is a huge variety of natural colored diamonds, however I will only mention the most popular diamond colors within the market and the ones that people demand the most.
Pink Diamond or Red Diamond
The pink diamond is the rarest and valuable diamond in the world. The Arguile Mine is the foremost source of unrivalled intense pink diamonds, producing 95% of the world's supply. However, an extremely small proportion of Argyle Diamonds production is Pink color, in fact less than one tenth of 1% is classified Pink.
White Diamonds
White diamonds are produced by mines all over the world in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. The white diamonds recovered from the Argyle mine are particularly brilliant and of high quality. White Colored Diamonds are also the most popular and pure diamonds on the world.
Champagne Diamonds
Champagne diamonds are naturally colored diamonds that are produced in a wide range of colors from light straw to rich cognac.
Yellow Diamonds
Fancy yellow diamonds come in a broad range of shades ranging from light yellow to a rich canary color. A limited quantity of fancy yellow diamonds is recovered from the Argyle mine.
Blue Diamonds
Fancy blue diamonds are available in a wide range of shades, from the blue of the sky to a more "steely" color than sapphire. Limited quantities of fancy blue diamonds are recovered from the Argyle mine.
Green Diamonds
Fancy green diamonds are also available. Usually, penetration of the color is not very deep and is often removed during the fashioning of the stone. As well as in the yellow and blue, a limited quantity of fancy green diamonds is recovered from the Arguile Mine.
Diamond's Cut
A diamond's cut is the only characteristic directly influenced by man. Diamond Cut is the arrangement of facets or sides of the diamond, this depends on the size of the stone and shape before cutting. This diamond characteristic has a huge influence on the quality and the pricing of a diamond. The most common diamond cuts are:
Brilliant Cut
The Brilliant Cut, as the name indicates, is done to enhance a diamond's brilliance, shine or sparkle. The Brilliance Cut Diamond is the most common cut on diamond jewelry. When the cut is done professionaly the light that reflects through the stone should travel to all the facets or sides of the diamond showing the diamond's sparkle we see. Brilliant!!
Step Cut
The Step Cut Diamond has four sides. This cut is very easy to identify, however it is also known to show a stone's flaws and internal damages if any. The Step Cut is usually used on Emeralds.
Mixed Cut
The Mixed Cut is often used on gemstone jewelry. However, the Mixed Cut Diamond is also found to be a beautiful piece of jewelry, this cut is a combination of the Brilliant Cut on the bottom of the stone and the Step Cut on the top of the stone.
