Jewelry Discount House  >  Jewelry Education  >  The 4 C's of Diamond Buying

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At Jewelry Discount House we understand that an educated consumer is our best customer. This information about the "4 C's” should be considered before that all important diamond purchase. The 4 C’s were designed as a way to explain the rarity or value of a specific diamond. The value of a diamond is based on the combination of four factors: Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat weight. Although all diamonds are rare some diamonds are rarer than others. It is important to understand that a diamond could be more rare in one of the components and less rare in another, the value of the diamond is based on the how rare the diamond is when all four of these components are considered as a whole. As an example: two diamonds that have the exact color, clarity and carat weight but one has an excellent cut and the other has a poor cut. The diamond with the excellent cut might have a value that is more than double the poorly cut diamond.

1. CUT

Many people confuse cut with the shape of a diamond. The shape you select is a matter of individual taste, and today your choice is only limited by the skill and imagination of the craftsman. Cut is the only one of the 4 C’s that is completely controlled by man.

The cut is the most critical component of the 4 C's, since the value of two diamonds with exactly the same carat weight could vary by up to 50% depending on the quality of cut. Just as fine cloth needs an expert tailor to create a quality garment, the diamond cutter controls the fire and brilliance of a diamond.

The cutting grade is determined by the diamond cutter's effort to maximize the refraction of light during every stage of the fashioning process. Most brilliant-cut or fancy-shaped diamonds possess fifty-eight carefully angled flat surfaces, called facets, whose placement will affect the fire, brilliance and ultimate beauty of your diamond.

In loose diamonds we also carry the beautiful Ideal Cut officially graded by the prestigious gemological laboratory, American Gem Society Laboratory (AGS), the only official laboratory that grades the cut of a diamond. Each Ideal Cut diamond comes with its own official AGS grading report and laser inscription identification.

If you do not find the exact cut you are looking for on our site please contact us with the specifics of what you need and we will do our best to accommodate you.

2. COLOR

The most prized diamonds are color-less. Their beauty depends entirely upon their remarkable optical properties. All the colors of the rainbow are reflected back to your eye. Though most diamonds appear to be icy-white, the fact is that most diamonds have slight traces of color, usually yellow or brown. The most valuable is no color, or colorless, due to its rarity. With each subtle departure from colorless, there is a decrease in rarity and value. The GIA color grades range from D (colorless) all the way to Z (light yellow-brownish).

Our standard collection includes only the most desirable colorless or near colorless diamonds to our customers, ensuring a bright, lasting beauty in every diamond purchase. We can also special order fancy color diamonds such as yellow and pink. If you would like to order a fancy color diamond please contact us with the specifics of what you need and we will do our best to accommodate you.

3. CLARITY

Clarity in a diamond is defined by the presence of natural characteristics. A diamond is graded using a microscope at 10 power (10x) magnification. The most rare and valuable diamonds have no natural characteristics at 10 power, and diamonds with more and larger characteristics are less rare and less valuable. As with color, differences in clarity can be very subtle, yet have a decided impact on value.

To better serve our customers, we carry diamonds in a full range of clarity, providing multiple price points and value from which to choose.

4. CARAT WEIGHT

Carat weight is the standard unit of weight for diamonds. One carat equals 1/5 of a gram, or .007 of an ounce. Carat weight is further divided into decimals. For example, exactly 1/2 carat is .50 carat and expressed as 50 points. Because diamonds are weighed to hundredths of a carat, they must be weighed on extremely precise and sensitive scales. All other factors being equal, as weight increases, so does rarity and value.

In solitaires, we regularly carry from 1/10 carat up to 2 carat total weight (ctw) single stones. We also carry large total carat weight diamond jewelry items from diamond tennis bracelets up to 6ctw, diamond fashion rings and anniversary rings in many sizes. If you need something larger or a combination that you do not find on our site, you can contact us with the specifics of what carat weight, stone or combination you need and we will do our best to accommodate you.