The 4 C’s of Diamond Grading

Color:

Diamonds naturally come in every color of the rainbow. However, most are concerned with diamonds of the white variety. Because a colorless diamond, like a clear window, allows more light to pass through it than a colored diamond, colorless diamonds emit more sparkle and fire. The formation process of a diamond ensures that only a few, rare diamonds are truly colorless thus, the whiter a diamond’s color, the greater its value.

To grade the colorlessness or whiteness of a diamond, most jewelers refer to the Gemological Institute of America’s, the world’s foremost authority in gemology, professional color scale. This scale begins with highest rating of “D” and travels down the alphabet to grade stones with traces of very faint or light yellowish or brownish color. The color scale continues all the way to “Z”.

The Scale:

  • D ~ E~ F colorless
  • G~ H~ I~J near colorless
  • K~L~M faint yellow
  • N thru R very light yellow
  • S thru Z light yellow

Fancy color diamonds do not follow this rule. These diamonds, which are very rare and very expensive, can be any color from blue to green to bright yellow. They are actually more valuable for their color.

Cut:

We at Helmut the Jeweler believe that cut is the most important of the 4 C’s. First, don’t confuse “cut” with “shape”. The shape of the diamond refers to its outward appearance –round, princess, pear, marquise. The cut refers to the diamond’s reflective qualities.

Every diamond, regardless of its shape, gets it brilliancy by cutting and polishing the diamond facets to allow the maximum amount of light that enters through its top to be reflected and dispersed back through its top.

In a poorly cut diamond, the light that enters through the table, the flat top facet of a diamond, and reaches the facets and then ‘leaks’ out from the sides or bottom of the diamond rather than reflecting back to the eye. Less light reflected back to the eye means less brilliance.

The Scale:

  • Excellent (Ideal)
  • Very Good
  • Good
  • Fair
  • Poor

Clarity:

Because diamonds are formed deep within the earth, under extreme heat and pressure, they often contain unique birthmarks, either internal (inclusions) or external (blemishes). Diamond clarity refers to the absence of inclusions and blemishes. Diamonds without these “birthmarks” are rare, and rarity affects a diamond’s value.

An inclusion can interfere with the light passing through the diamond. The fewer the inclusions, the more beautiful the diamond will be.

Clarity Scale:

  • Flawless (FL) – No inclusions or blemishes are visible to a skilled grader using 10× magnification
  • Internally Flawless (IF) – No inclusions and only blemishes are visible to a skilled grader using 10× magnification
  • Very, Very Slightly Included (VVS1 and VVS2) – Inclusions are difficult for a skilled grader to see under 10× magnification
  • Very Slightly Included (VS1 and VS2) – Inclusions are clearly visible under 10× magnification but can be characterized as minor
  • Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2) – Inclusions are noticeable to a skilled grader using 10× magnification
  • Included (I1, I2, and I3) – Inclusions are obvious under 10× magnification and may affect transparency and brilliance.

Carat:

Diamonds and other gemstones are weighed in metric carats: one carat is equal to 0.2 grams, about the same weight as a paperclip. (Don’t confuse carat with karat, as in “18K gold,” which refers to gold purity.)

Just as a dollar is divided into 100 pennies, a carat is divided into 100 points. For example, a 50-point diamond weighs 0.50 carats. But two diamonds of equal weight can have very different values depending on the other members of the Four C’s: clarity, color and cut. The majority of diamonds used in fine jewelry weigh one carat or less

Cost (5th C):

At Helmut the Jeweler, we like to think of Cost as the 5th C. Diamonds that are large, colorless, flawless and have an ideal cut are rare and therefore can be very costly. However you don’t need to spend a fortune to find a diamond that is breath taking, has amazing sparkle and that you will be sure to love. Most of the time you can’t see the difference with out a powerful microscope and how many of us carry those around in our pocket!

Here at Helmut the Jeweler we make sure that you will get the highest quality and most beautiful diamond that fits within your budget.

How to buy a diamond:

Buying a diamond is a very personal decision. While not everyone will share the same opinion as to what constitutes beauty, most people want to buy a diamond that expresses individual taste and personality.

The quality of diamond you plan to buy depends on your personal goal. Some want the largest diamond they can afford while some are more concerned about the color and clarity of the diamond. However, all want a diamond that is cut to magnify the stones beauty.

Before buying a diamond, be sure to look at our 4 C’s Guide so you can make an educated decision on your purchase.

When doing business with Helmut the Jeweler, you can rest assured that you will be assisted by educated and concerned gemologist who will help you select the best gemstone for you or your loved one.