Diamond Jewelry

A diamond has long been idolized as the ultimate symbol of lasting love because of it’s purity and ageless beauty.

As an admirer of diamonds for engagement rings, whether past, present or future, one may wonder why there is such variation in price from store to store. What characteristics constitute a $5,000 diamond versus one that costs only $500?

The grading system for diamonds is based upon four different elements. Firstly, size will play a large role in the price. This is referred to as the “carat weight,” and it is determined on a 100 point scale. The larger the carat weight, the higher the value.

Carat size may push the price up, but only slightly if there is no clarity. Several facets determine clarity on both an internal and external basis. Internal aspects, dubbed inclusions, and external aspects, dubbed blemishes, all contribute to the overall clarity score.

The clarity of a diamond can vary from ‘pure’ to heavily included. This designation is arrived at after anaylyzing the how many inclusions are found as well where the inclusions are located, whether they are tinted, and how large they are.

Therefore the more severely included a diamond is with crystals, feathers, or other types of internal and external flaws, the lower its value. These deformities are due to the cooling process of the diamonds against other materials. Clarity is highly prized, especially in larger carat diamonds where the imperfections are more detectable.

Color is the next element that affects price. Although clarity is important, there are special cases where under certain conditions underground a diamond may have taken on a certain coloration that actually increases its value.

Diamonds range in color from a designation of “D” to “Z”, with “D” being no color at all, and “Z” being a diamond with a color that is deep enough to be very noticeable to the human eye.

Cut is the final factor in diamond grading. This is an often forgotten element of diamonds, but it is extremely important, as it gives this remarkable stone its ability to come alive.

To view a diamond from the point of view of the cut is to investigate whether or not it has any ‘fire’. Like the other criteria for grading, the cut has it’s own grading scale that goes from excellent to irregular. If the diamond doesn’t knock your socks off then it likely has not been cut very well.

So there you have it, the 4 C’s of choosing a diamond: carat, clarity, color and cut. Understanding these basic concepts before you enter a diamond store will go a long way towards making a good purchase decision.