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Want to buy a diamond?The 4 C's
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4 C's of Buying a Diamond
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4C'S BUYING GUIDEMany people are confused about how diamonds are priced. The best explanation is that asking for the price of a diamond is like asking for the price of a house. An estate agent can't quote you a price for a house without knowing its size, condition, location, etc. This process is the same one used when buying a diamond. A diamond's beauty, rarity, and price depend on the interplay of all the 4Cs, Cut, Clarity, Carat, and Colour. The 4Cs are used throughout the world to classify the rarity of diamonds. Diamonds with the combination of the highest 4C ratings are more rare and, consequently, more expensive. No one C is more important than another in terms of beauty and it is important to note that each of the 4Cs will not diminish in value over time. Once you have established those 4C characteristics that are most important to you, a jeweller can then beginto show you various options with quoted prices. THE DIAMOND QUALITY PYRAMIDA tool to help understand a diamond's value. The Diamond Quality Pyramid is a framework to help you compare diamonds. While all diamonds are precious, those closest to the top of the pyramid possessing the best combination of cut, clarity, carat weight and colour are the earth's rarest and most valuable.
CARATCarat Refers to the weight of a diamond. Carat is often confused with size even though it is actually a measure of weight. One carat is equivalent to 200 milligrams. One carat can also be divided into 100 "points." A .75 carat diamond is the same as a 75-points or 3/4 carat diamond. A 1-carat diamond costs exactly twice the price of a half-carat diamond, right? Wrong. Since larger diamonds are found less frequently in nature, which places them at the rarest level of the Diamond Quality Pyramid, a 1-carat diamond will cost more than twice a 1/2-carat diamond (assuming colour, clarity and cut remain constant). Cut and mounting can make a diamond appear larger (or smaller) than its actual weight. So shop around and talk to your jeweller to find the right diamond and setting to optimize the beauty of your stone.CLARITYClarity Refers to the presence of inclusions in a diamond. Every diamond is unique. Nature ensures that each diamond is as individual as the person who wears it. Naturally-occurring features
COLOURColour Refers to the degree to which a diamond is colourless. Diamonds are found in almost every colour of the rainbow, but white-coloured diamonds remain most popular. Diamonds are graded on a colour scale established by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) which ranges from D (colourless) to Z. Warmer coloured diamonds (KZ) are particularly desirable when set in yellow gold. Icy winter whites (DJ) look stunning set in white gold or platinum. Colour differences are very subtle and it is very difficult to see the difference between, say, an E and an F. Therefore, colours are graded under controlled lighting conditions and are compared to a master set for accuracy. Truly colourless stones, graded D, treasured for their rarity, are highest on the Diamond Quality Pyramid. Colour, however, ultimately comes down to personal taste. Ask a jeweller to show you a variety of colour grades next to one another to help you determine your colour preference. Nature has also created diamonds in intense shades of blue, green, yellow, orange, pink or rarest of all red. These diamonds are called coloured fancies and are extremely rare and highly treasured.CUTCut Refers to the angles and proportions of a diamond. Nature determines so much about a diamond, but it takes a master cutter to reveal the stonešs true brilliance, fire and ultimate beauty. Based on scientific formulas, a well-cut diamond will internally reflect light from one mirror-like facet to another and disperse and reflect it through the top of the stone. This results in a display of brilliance and fire, thereby placing well-cut diamonds higher on the Diamond Quality Pyramid than deep or shallow-cut diamonds. Diamonds that are cut too deep or too shallow lose or leak light through the side or bottom, resulting in less brilliance and ultimately, value. Cut also refers to shape round, square, pear, or heart for example. Since a round diamond is symmetrical and capable of reflecting nearly all the light that enters, it is the most brilliant of all diamond shapes and follows specific proportional guidelines. Non-round shapes, also known as "fancy shapes", will have their own guidelines to be considered well-cut. |
