Choosing the Perfect Diamond: The Four C’s Explained
If you have ever looked into purchasing a diamond, you have no doubt come across the ‘Four C’s’. These are the qualities that diamond graders take into consideration when assessing the quality of a diamond: they stand for Carat, Cut, Colour and Clarity. When you start diving into the 4 C’s of diamonds, things can start to get technical and feel overwhelming. We’re here to break down what you really need to know, and to share some insights that some diamond sellers probably wish you didn’t know.
Carat
This one is easy. It’s the weight of the stone, not the measurement across the top of the diamond – apples are measured in grams (or ounces, depending on where you come from), diamonds are measured in carats. Simple.
Cut
Cut is the shape that a rough diamond is, well, cut into. Generally, a good gem cutter will choose the shape of a stone to maximise the qualities of the diamond, and minimize visible imperfections. There are myriad shapes to choose from – some traditional, like the round or emerald cut, some ornate like cushion or pear cut, and others more modern like the princess or radiant cut. The shape is important when you’re considering what style of ring you’re looking for, and it can affect the value of the stone.
Colour
Here’s where things start to get a bit technical. Typically, when we think of a diamond, we think of clear, or ‘white’ diamonds. In fact, graders use an alphabetical scale to rate the colourlessness of a diamond from colourless, through to colours that can range from yellow to almost ruby-red (called fancy colours). A colour in a stone doesn’t necessarily mean it is a bad stone – it all comes down to what you’re looking for. Some people prefer the warmth of a slightly yellow diamond, which others prefer the ice white purity of a colourless stone.
Clarity
Natural diamonds will nearly always have tiny cracks or internal variations in clarity, known in the industry as inclusions. Diamond graders will rate diamonds on a scale from flawless to included, all under the magnification of 10. What inclusions do in lower grades of clarity is to change the way the light refracts through the stone, which can affect the quality of its sparkle. In reality though, inclusions may not have a huge impact, depending on their size and location within the cut – so a diamond with a lower clarity rating can, in fact, still be beautifully sparkly.
So how much do the four Cs really matter?
In the end, diamond grading is a bit like Olympic diving: it’s a score based on one professional’s opinion, not a fact set in stone. Pun intended.
Diamond graders review stones under artificial lighting conditions, using magnification equipment, and make a judgment call based on their professional experience.
There is a lot of information that is often left out of a grading certificate, for example whether there’s a grey-brown tinge to the stone that makes a diamond appear darker, or whether the diamond has a ‘milky’ character that indicates a lack of lustre.
In addition, taste in diamonds changes over time. Once, yellow diamonds were considered tainted and poor quality, but thanks to a clever marketing campaign that rebranded them as ‘champagne’ diamonds, they are now considered highly desirable.
While a grading certificate can provide a helpful guide to value, ultimately the most important test is holding the stone in your own hands, and looking at it under normal lighting conditions. Ask yourself, does the size seem right? How will it look in my chosen setting? Does it have a sparkle that catches the eye?
You have enough to think about when you’re planning a proposal. Here at Simon Wright we only ever hand-select the stones we offer to our clients, so we are always happy with the quality of what we’re showing you. We invite you to come into our studio and see our selection of diamonds in person, to give you confidence in the choice you’re making.
After all, you’ve seen the inclusions in your partner and you still appreciate their sparkle – and a diamond is no different!
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