Introducing the 4Cs of Diamond Quality

Diamonds maintain a mystique that places them in a category all their own among gemstones. While some would argue that this allure is manufactured by crafty advertising and clever sales gimmicks, my guess is that these naysayers have never gazed upon a velvet-lined tray filled with one of nature's greatest perfections. Flashing light sparkles off every surface, glittering rainbows dance around the room, and the eye is so dazzled that it may never recover from the wonder of it all. Anyone who has shared space with such tiny wonders will understand how hard it is to choose one above another. Each of them is so unique and oh, so beautiful. How do you decide which one is perfect for you or your loved one? What matters most when choosing a diamond? How do you know if you've paid too much? How do you know that you're getting the best quality for your dollar? These are all very important questions to ask before making one of life's most important decisions. Not only do diamonds represent eternal love and absolute perfection, but they also present a very unique opportunity to make a very wise investment. High-quality diamonds often appreciate in value, often providing stability during even the roughest of economic situations. But how can you be sure that the diamond you've got your eye on is a high-quality diamond? Who even decides such a thing? To answer these concerns, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), in the early 1930s, established the 4Cs of Diamond Quality. These four intersecting factors--Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat Weight--provide a standardized method by which every single diamond can be compared against objective scales of optimum diamond characteristics. By creating a common language and grading system for diamonds, the GIA effectively opened the lines of communication between all the major players in the process of purchasing a diamond, from dealers, to designers, to retailers, to consumers. In order for you, the consumer, to know which diamond is best suited to your occasion, it is vital that you understand these four scales in the same way your jeweler understands them. Although in many cases learning the technical aspects of a thing can prove dull at best (as in the case of calculus or trigonometry), or absolutely disappointing at worst (as in the case of magic tricks), such is not the case with diamonds. Indeed, with diamonds, the more you know, the more there is to love. While in this post I offer only a brief description of each scale, clicking the links will take you to an in-depth discussion of each one. Without further adieu, I offer you the 4Cs:

• CUT: Ranging from Excellent to Poor, the Cut of a diamond refers not to its shape, but to the way its facets interact with light.
• CLARITY: Ranging from Flawless to Included, the Clarity of a diamond refers to the number and type of internal inclusions (blemishes) visible under magnification. Flawless diamonds are extremely rare, and although most of the blemishes in included diamonds can only be seen with magnification, they can greatly affect the visible appearance of a stone.
• COLOR: Most natural white diamonds contain a hint of color, ranging from near colorless to faint yellow. The Color scale provides a way of comparing one stone of unknown color to another of known color to determine its color.
• CARAT WEIGHT: Simply put, Carat Weight refers to the weight of a diamond. One carat equals 200 mg.

While these are the only four objective measures endorsed by the GIA, several diamond experts have added a fifth C, which boils down to Confidence. Confidence is gained through education, certification, and building rapport with your jeweler. All provide a measure of security for the buyer, but education is by far the most critical if you're looking for absolute certainty.