The 4 C’s of diamonds are used to determine the quality of a diamond.
The 4 C’s of diamonds are the colour, cut, clarity and carat weight of the stone. These are all important to consider for consumers who are interested in buying loose diamonds for sale in South Africa. The quality of a diamond is measured by the grade represented by each of the below categories on a chart. Here is everything you need to know when it comes to looking for a quality diamond.
Colour
When speaking of the colour of a diamond the more flawless it is, the less colour it will have because it is clear and allows more light to pass through, making it sparkle. If no colour is visible the diamond on sale is of a higher grade. Diamonds range from the high quality “white” diamonds to lower grade, or significantly lower grade, by comparison which have a murky yellow or brown visible colour. The colour of a diamond is ranked from D – Z, D being colourless and Z being significantly coloured.
Cut
How a diamond is cut directly affects the quality of a diamond. It does not, as many believe, refer to the shape of the diamond, but rather its proportions and symmetry. A diamond may be round, oval or teardrop shaped, but this is irrelevant to the way in which the cut will determine its value.
The cut is arguably the most important characteristic when it comes to determining the value or quality of a diamond, so this is important to consider when perusing diamonds for sale. The right cut has the ability to allow the stone to sparkle and shine despite blemishes if accurately cut.
The right cut will allow the diamond to show its scintillation (the intense sparkle of a diamond when moving) or fire. Scintillation and fire are common terms used to describe the flash of white that sparkles when you turn it in light.
Clarity
Most diamonds have “birthmarks” from being formed under extreme heat and pressure. These “birthmarks” are considered imperfections and are often referred to as inclusions when inside the diamond, and blemishes when on the stone’s surface.
This is why the cut is so important. Professional diamond cutters are able to use their abilities to minimise inclusions and blemishes in a diamond.
GIA established the GIA Clarity Scale of 11 grades to regulate and compare the clarity of diamonds via a universal scale.
Carat Weight
Diamonds are sold under the weight unit carats or ct. Carat does not, as many believe, refer to size but rather the weight of a diamond. It is also completely unrelated to the word “karat” which is used to refer to the purity of gold.
The C’s mentioned above would then play a role in determining the value of two diamonds with the same carat weight. Due to the fact that stones are rarely large enough to deliver a 1 carat end product, large carat diamonds are increasingly rare which makes larger carat diamonds more expensive. Keep this in mind when buying loose diamonds for sale in South Africa.
If you are in the market for diamonds on sale in South Africa be sure to contact Your Diamonds for a great deal and become part of the family.
