4C's of a Diamond: Cut, Clarity, Carat weight and Color
Diamonds are graded by what is commonly known as the 4 C's: Carat, Color, Clarity, and Cut.
The 4 C's are the different aspects of a diamond's characteristics and are considered the most important attributes to look for when choosing a diamond.
Diamond Cut & Shape
Relates to a diamond's angles and proportions. Based on complex scientific formulae, a very well-cut diamond will reflect light from one facet to another (like a mirror) and will scatter it and reflect it through the top of the diamond (the table). If the diamond is very well-cut, it will then have optimal brilliance, called the "fire" of the diamond. A diamond can also be cut too flat or too thick, in which cases the light will not be reflected optimally and the brilliance of the diamond will be affected.
Diamond Weight: Carat
The weight of a diamond is the Carat: 1 carat is equal to 0.20 grams. One carat can be divided into 100 points. A 0.75 carat diamond is equal to a diamond of 75 points and is equal to a diamond 3/4 carat. The industry uses various sorts of balances to measure the weight of a diamond. The carat is a measure which also applies for the other precious stones and gemstones. The carat of precious stones has nothing to do with the carat of golden alloys. A diamond which would weigh 0.9990 announces 1.00 carat and 0.9989 announces 0.99 carat.
Diamond Clarity
Diamonds with few or no inclusion(s) are very rare and therefore very expensive. These inclusions can resemble crystals, clouds or tiny feathers. International standards have established that a diamond is designated "Internally Flawless" if an expert's eye can detect no defect under 10 times magnification. A clarity scale was established to classify the diamond according to its degree of purity, this scale includes the following degrees of clarity: FL, IF, VVS1, VVS2, VS1, VS2, SI1, SI2, SI3, I1, I2, I3.
Diamond Color
A diamond without color is a colorless diamond. The diamond industry uses color scales to classify diamonds. The color of a diamond has a significant impact on its value. The color scale starts with the letter D and ends at Z, beyond Z color diamonds are graded as Fancy Color. The scale begins at "D" as "Diamond", there is no "A", "B" or "C". We advise you to choose a diamond which is between "D" and "I". There are also diamonds of all the colors: blue, red, pink, green, yellow, black, champagne, cognac, etc.
The factors that determine the value of a diamond are symbolized by these 4 criteria.
If one of these four criteria is not known, the value of this diamond cannot be determined precisely: they are inextricably linked.