When we think of diamonds, we often think of their sparkle. But this precious little gemstone has a lot more to it. Did you know about the 4Cs of diamonds used to ascertain the quality of diamonds? If not, you’ve been purchasing diamond jewellery all the time wrong. Diamonds are expensive, and any investment regarding diamond jewellery should be made after due consideration. So if you’re planning to buy diamond bangles for women or any other diamond accessory, make sure you evaluate all the shortlisted jewellery options based on their quality and not just design.
To help you with it, we’ve listed down all the information essential for shoppers like you regarding diamond’s 4 C’s, i.e., color, carat, clarity, and cut. If you have even fundamental knowledge about these aspects, you’ll be able to purchase the best quality diamond jewellery or diamond gemstones. So let’s head straight to these aspects.
- Color
When purchasing diamonds, the first thing that gets our attention is the gemstone’s color. Going by the traditional way of seeing a gemstone’s color, a diamond is usually colorless. Certain colorations might be there, but they are not generally visible to naked eyes. And for diamonds having visible colorations, the price is on the lower side than spotless, colorless diamonds.
But white is just one color you can get in diamonds. Due to various celebrities sporting yellow, pink, brown, and other colored diamonds, the craze for colored diamonds is on the rise. As a gemstone’s color is a matter of personal taste, you can choose a diamond of the color you like the most.
- Clarity
Another “C” that will help you determine the quality of diamonds you’re buying is its clarity. You must have seen the term “VVS” in the product description of a diamond jewellery product. It generally talks about the diamond’s clarity. For the uninitiated, a diamond’s clarity refers to the amount of visible flaws in it. GIA has set a standard to decide the clarity of diamonds.
Though FL, IF, VVS1, VVS2, VS1, and VS2 are perfect for buying; you might want to think twice before buying diamonds of clarity SI1, SI2, I1, I2, and I3. The former clarity grades signify little to no inclusions, while the latter signifies higher, visible inclusions that can affect the diamond’s brilliance.
- Carat
The weight of the diamond or carat also helps determine the quality and price of a diamond. One carat diamond generally measures 200 mg or 0.00643 troy oz. However, everything else being equal, the cost of a diamond will increase with the increase in its weight. As the weight of a diamond is not in linear order, the prices of larger weighing diamonds are higher, and vice-versa. The majority of the diamonds available in the global market are less than one carat in weight. A diamond weighing half a carat is often listed as a “50-point” diamond. The diamond’s size preference is a personal choice, so go ahead with the carat or weight that suits your budget.
- Cut
Last on the list is the diamond’s cut. It should be noted that a diamond’s cut refers to the visible features, like the diamond’s polish, symmetry, proportions, and finish. These aspects are imparted into a diamond during the gemstone cutting process, and it dramatically influences the way light travels throughout the diamond, influencing its overall aesthetics. There are various types of diamond cuts, including princess, round, oval, marquise, pear, radiant, emerald, cushion, baguette, etc.
Now that you have all the details essential to identify good quality diamonds, make sure you consider all these factors or aspects while making the final purchase.