The Four C's

Diamonds

Carat

The name given to the unit of weight measuring precious stones. Carat isn’t a direct indicator of size. Although, the heavier the Diamond in Carat weight, the larger the Diamond is. Diamond prices increase as the Carat weight increases. The larger the Diamond, the rarer the Diamond. Two Diamonds of equal Carat Weight can still have very different price values thanks to the other three important factors; Cut, Colour and Clarity.

Cut

Determines how well the diamond has been finished and therefore its brilliance. Along with the Cut, we must assess polish and symmetry. The grade of polish refers to the smoothness of the facets. If the polish is poor the diamond can be lacklustre. The grade of symmetry refers to the alignment of the facets. If the symmetry is poor, light can be misdirected, possibly affecting the fire of reflections. The grades are judged from excellent to very poor.

Clarity

Describes how clear the diamond is from any mineral imperfections (inclusions), the most precious are flawless. Diamonds are graded by assessing the number, location, size and type of inclusions present. Many inclusions and blemishes are too tiny to be seen by anyone other than a trained Diamond grader. To the naked eye, a VS and SI Diamond may look exactly the same, even though they’re different in quality and price!

Colour

Graded by letter, the best being 'D' and worst being ‘Z’. The way to measure a Diamonds true colour is under controlled lighting and precise viewing conditions to masterstones of established colour value. Many colour distinctions are so subtle, they are invisible to the untrained eye, however, they make a very big difference to the quality and price of a Diamond. D, E & F graded Diamonds are all colourless Diamonds.