The 4 Cs of diamond grading: what you need to know
If you’re preparing to invest in diamonds, whether for yourself or your special someone, you should be aware of the qualities determining the value of your investment. Let’s take your engagement ring, for example. To gauge the value of the diamond, jewellers use criteria often referred to as the four Cs. Here’s a brief overview.
Cut
When jewellers refer to the cut of a diamond, they’re talking about the shape. The traditional engagement ring is a solitaire in either a princess cut — a geometrically diamond shape — or a round cut. Modern brides may opt for more eye-catching cuts like the pear, oval, emerald or marquise.
If you opt for a princess or round cut diamond, another aspect to be aware of is the precision of the shaping. Jewellers may describe the cut as ideal, indicating that the proportions allow light to bend toward the diamond’s centre, creating a dazzling sparkle.
Colour
At first glance, it’s easy to assume all diamonds are sparkly white. For jewellers, diamonds range from the clear-as-ice colourless grade D to various shades of faint yellow for grades S to Z. Most engagement rings have near-colourless diamonds, like these I-grade and J-grade specimens.
Clarity
The degrees of clarity describe how many tiny marks are visible in the diamond to a jeweller using 10x magnification. The range, from the rarest to least-rare diamond clarity, is as follows:
- Flawless, or F
- Very, very slightly included, or VVS1 to VVS2
- Very slightly included, or V1 to VS2
- Slightly included, or S1 to S2
- Included 1, or I1
- Included 2, or I2
- Included 3, or I3
This solitaire has a clarity of I1, or “Included 1.” It has a small number of tiny marks visible under 10X magnification, making it more affordable than flawless diamonds.
Carat
Jewellers weigh diamonds using the universal measure carat, sometimes written ct. — not to be confused with karat, the measure applied to gold purity. Diamonds vary in density, so the carat weight isn’t detectable simply by looking at it. For example, compare the appearance of this 1.50 ct. diamond ring with this 2.00 ct. diamond ring, both of which have the same cut, colour and shape.
When it comes to diamonds, bigger isn’t always better. In addition to cut, colour, clarity and carat, don’t forget to consider your personal style. When you’re investing in a diamond, consider having it set in a custom-designed piece.
Get the diamond of your dreams
Whether you want the perfect engagement ring or a statement diamond necklace, the jewellers at Charm Diamond Centres are happy to explore the possibilities with you. Our jewellery stores in Mississauga and throughout Canada feature an extensive selection of diamond jewellery, including lab-grown diamonds and Canadian-mined diamonds. Contact us today to learn more or visit us in-store to view our collection up close.
