Choosing the Right Diamond: For that Special Lady
Choosing the right diamond for your special girl can be a task in its own. What one needs to learn about diamonds is just knowing the 4C's - that is how the diamond is graded. To get the best diamond quality, a jeweler examines the 4C's, its carat weight, clarity, color and its cut. The diamond's worth is based on the combination of the 4C's. The finest stones possess the rarest quality in each of the 4C's, and are the most valuable. Go for a diamond that offers the best combination of the 4C's. Ultimately, you'll discover the unique combination of the 4C's that makes a particular diamond the right choice for you. Its beauty and brilliance will capture the true sentiment of the occasion.
Carat Weight – A carat is a universal measure of weight for a diamond. This is the easiest of the 4 C’s to determine. Two diamonds of equal weight can be vary in value. Based in carat weight, the carat is equivalent to 100 points. A diamond with 75 points is .75% of a carat or ¾’s of a carat.
Clarity – is what tells how pure a diamond is, all diamonds except the rarest has tiny particles of minerals, gases, and other elements trapped in side during the crystallization process. These are called inclusions or should we say birthmarks. Most of the inclusions can't be seen by the naked eye. This is the way the Diamonds categorized as internally flawless reveal no such inclusions. The internally flawless diamonds comprises less than 1% of gem-quality diamonds. Diamonds with very, very small inclusions are graded VVS1 or VVS2. Very small inclusions are graded VS1 or VS2. Slight inclusions are graded SI1 or SI2, although in larger diamonds, some SI2 inclusions can be seen with the naked eye. Inclusions that can be easily seen with the naked eye are graded I1, I2 or I3.
Color - While many diamonds appear colorless, or white, they may actually have subtle yellow or brown tones that can be detected when comparing diamonds side by side. Diamonds were formed under intense heat and pressure, and traces of other elements may have been incorporated into their atomic structure accounting for the variances in color. Diamond color grades start at D and continue through the alphabet, with D being truly colorless. Although the presence of color in a diamond makes it less rare and valuable. Some come out from the ground up with vivid fancy colors that have well-defined reds, blues, pinks, greens and bright yellows. These are highly prized and extremely rare.
Cut – is the way that the hand of a master craftsman is needed to release its fire and beauty. The cut in every diamond gives out a unique sparkle and brilliance by allowing the maximum amout of light to enter and reflection from the diamond. A well-cut diamond will be considerably more beautiful and valuable than a poorly cut diamond of the same carat weight, clarity and color.
So getting to be familiar with the 4 C’s is the way to buy a diamond for that very special lady.