The 4 C'S
sThe quality of a diamond is determined by what is known as the 4Cs: Carat, Cut, Color and Clarity. These four characteristics are what will decide the value of the stone.
Carat
A diamond's weight is given in carats. The term carat derives from the fact that the seeds of the Carob tree were used on precision scales as units of weight for small quantities of precious stones. 1 carat equals 0.2 grams, meaning a 5 carat diamond weighs 1 gram. The carat weight influences the cost of the diamond since the cost rises significantly per carat. But a 1.00 carat diamond won't necessarily cost exactly half the price of a 2.00 carat stone since other factors are also important. When buying a diamond, look for one that is as close as possible to the next carat weight. The cost of a 1.94-carat stone will be much less than one weighing 2.00 carats even though there is only a difference of six points between them.
Color
The single most important factor in grading and valuing colored diamonds is their color. The color, hue and tone of the diamond is compared to the lightness or darkness of the color to determine the grading, or quality of the stone. The body color of a stone influences the appearance of a diamond and its price. Color is part of the natural composition of the diamond and never changes over time. It is caused by varying quantities of nitrogen and other trace elements, present in all diamonds, which dislodged the carbon atoms within the crystal's structure. How is a diamond's color determined? The almost universally agreed way of grading is by using the MGL's color scale.
Carat
Generally carat weight is compared to the size. The bigger the diamond, the more is its weight. The weight of a diamond is calculated in carats. The word carat is invented from the carob tree or Ceratonia siliqua. The small seeds of the three are best known for their homogeneity and steady weight. In earlier times, diamonds and gemstones were calculated in contrast to these seeds, but later on the standards came into existence and one carat was agreed to be at 0.2 grams. One carat gets fractioned into 100 points. A diamond of which the weight is one quarter of a carat can also be referred as weighing 25 points or 0.25 carats. Usually they do not make use of the points to describe the weights for one carat. For better understanding we hereby give some examples of several weights for round diamonds and their relative sizes and shapes. These may not be the correct size because of the monitor. The fairly accurate girdle diameter is expressed in millimeters.
What difference the sizes make the rarity
The size makes a great difference to the rarity. The rarity of 1.00 carat diamond is almost double of .50 carat. However, the 1.00 carat is technically very unique than the .50 carat.
Cut
The cut of a diamond means its size and shape. Out of the Diamond 4 C’s, this feature of cut is mostly pretended by man however the rest three are founded by Mother Nature. Generally, we see that people make a confusion between the cut and the shape of a diamond. The diamonds can be cut into different shapes that vary as per the original format of an uncut diamond, which is known as rough
A well-cut diamond can reproduce the light much better than any other diamond. A diamond’s demonstration of fire and brightness is controlled by its capacity to reflect the light. Usually, diamonds are cut with distinct flat surfaces or 58 facets. These facets are based on a mathematical formula and they are positioned at accurate angles those are associated with each other. The association is being planned to make the most of the light that replicates through the diamond making it look more beautiful.
Color
If the diamond is having no color, then that can be best diamond. Diamonds permits light to reflect and get divided in rainbow form. The technical grading does not get affected by the color flash or the light dispersion. The colorless stone has the rating plunging through each letter of the alphabet to Z, labeling a diamond of light yellow, brown, or gray. The boy color may be a result of the presence of some elements like nitrogen. These types of elements are very small and they can be measured scientifically in parts per million (ppm).
The more intense the body color, the lower is the grade of color. These gradation is very minute and can be one in the laboratory only. It is always advisable to make the comparison of diamonds with the help of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or the American Gem Society (AGS) or that you can get the appropriate color grading. As far as the direct comparison of color of diamond is concerned, most of the people cannot find out the difference .You can take a diamond of grade k or above.
Fancy Color
People get very surprised after they come to know that diamonds also are made as a result of some accidents in shades of amber, green, pink or blue. These rare colors are known as fancies and they are estimated by a different set of color standards. These standards also consider many factors like hue and saturation. These fancy diamonds are very costly due to the uniqueness.
More or less all diamonds have a very small natural birthmarks, which are named as inclusions. Expert sees the diamonds under 10 power magnification in order to conclude it’s clarity. Besides to internal inclusions, the surface irregularities are known as blemishes. The two classes of inclusions and blemishes construct the clarity. Leser the blemishes, unique and more valuable the diamonds. Most of the inclusions cannot be seen by the naked eyes and they need magnification to be superficial. A clarity rating that is done in a laboratory epitomizes the point where inclusions are not actually visible to the normal naked eyes. Unlike the traditional belief, good clarity does not always represent the beauty. If the inclusions cannot be seen by the naked eyes, a good quality cannot actually enhance the view of a diamond, but it makes an impact on the uniqeness and the price. A good quality is more looked for and worth, however you should know that you have made the right choice. We recommend a clarity of SI2 or above. The grading of the clarity is done by using accurate and a difficult method of finding out size, visibility and location. The right hand side diagrams present top view of the round diamond. The inclusions those are indicated in red color are a rough sample for grading of clarity. You need to keep in mind that the inclusions described in red cannot be seen by an average naked eye unless they are having I1-I3 clarities.
Flawless
These do not represent any blemishes or inclusions of any types under 10x magnification when it is checked by a professional.
Internally lawless
This does not have any inclusions when tested by a professional with 10x magnification, but it will contain some small blemishes.
VERY, VERY SLIGHTLY INCLUDED
This has small inclusions those cannot be found out even by an expert under 10x magnification.
VERY SLIGHTLY INCLUDED
This has small inclusions like feathers, crystals or clouds when tested under 10x magnification.
SLIGHTLY INCLUDED
These have some inclusion like knots, cavities or feathers. These can be viewed by an expert grader under 10x magnification.
INCLUDED
Contains inclusions, probably big feathers or large crystals those can be seen under 10x magnification and that make a difference to the transparency and brilliance.
