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Each diamond you will consider purchasing is unique; no
two are exactly alike. You may wonder how industry professionals determine the monetary value of your diamond.
What accounts for the price difference between diamonds?
How can you be sure you’re paying a fair price?
Four value factors are used to evaluate finished diamonds.
They are often called the “four C’s” – carat, color, clarity, and
cut . Not one of these factors is more important than the others.
Rather, they are used to compare stones to one another and determine a diamond’s rarity. The more rare a diamond is
in any particular category, the higher its price will be.
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For example, a diamond with near-flawless clarity will cost more than a less-clear
diamond of similar carat weight, color and cut. But a less-clear diamond that is very
large or has an unusual color might cost the same as a near-flawless one.
By learning about the Four C’s, you can better understand the World Gemological Report
regarding the stone in which you are interested, and make an intelligent decision when
it comes time to purchasing that diamond.
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A diamond’s size is indicated by its weight. The weight is indicated in carats: one carat
equals 1/5 of a gram. The word carat is often abbreviated as “ct.”
If a diamond weighs less than one carat, its weight is indicated in points (1/100 of a carat).
Therefore, a half-carat stone weighs 50 points, while a 75-point diamond is ¾ of a carat.
If a diamond weighs more than one carat, its weight is expressed in carats and decimals.
Therefore, a 1.07 ct. stone weighs one carat and 7 points.
The price of a diamond tends to jump when its carat weight crosses 50 points, 75 points
or 1 carat. The difference between a diamond that weighs 49 points and one that weighs
50 points is often greater than the difference between one weighing 48 and 49 points.
The larger a diamond, the more rare it is. Therefore, as carat weight increases, so does
the price per carat. A 2-ct. stone, for example, will cost more than twice that of a 1-ct.
stone, assuming they are similar in cut, clarity and color.
For instructions on how to read your diamond’s carat weight on your World Gemological
Institute report, click here.
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It may appear that your diamond is colorless, but in fact, it probably has tinges of yellow
or brown. A diamond’s color refers to how noticeable its tints are. The more noticeable
the color, the lower its value; the less noticeable the color, the more rare it is and the
higher its value.
There is an exception to this rule: If your diamond has tints of a color other than yellow
or brown – for example, if it is blue, purple or red – it is considered to be “fancy-colored,”
and is graded differently.
Assuming your diamond is in the yellow/brown color range, trained gemologists will grade it
based on a finely calibrated scale that compares it to a master set.
For instructions on how to read your diamond’s color grade on your World Gemological
Institute report, click here.
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Like most things in life, diamonds are rarely perfect. As a diamond forms, tiny crystals
may get trapped inside it, or the stone may have irregularities on its surface. Clarity refers
to the relative absence of such flaws. The harder it is to see the flaws, the more rare the
diamond.
Gemologists will look for two kinds of flaws, or clarity characteristics, in your diamond:
inclusions, which are flaws enclosed inside or primarily inside the diamond, and blemishes,
which are nicks and scratches on the stone’s surface. If the inclusions or blemishes can be
seen with a naked eye, the diamond will score lowest on the clarity scale. The more
magnification necessary to see the clarity characteristics, the more valuable the diamond.
Don’t feel bad if your diamond does not have perfect clarity. Truly flawless diamonds
are so rarethat many gemologists never see one throughout their entire career.
For instructions on how to read your diamond’s clarity grade on your World
Gemological Institute
report, click here.
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An important aspect of the allure of diamonds is the way they sparkle. The sparkle
is a result of how a stone is cut – its symmetry, polish, durability, and proportion
of its parts – which, in turn, determines how light travels through the stone and
back to your eye.
Ideally, after light hits the top of a diamond, it travels through the stone and then out the
top again,creating the sparkle effect.
This sparkle depends on the proportions between the diamond’s table size, crown angle and
pavilion depth. Many combinations can achieve the same level of sparkle; what’s most important
is how these factors work together in your particular stone to create maximum brightness.
For example, if a stone’s pavilion is cut too shallow or too deep relative to its crown, light might
seep from the side or bottom of the stone, thereby reducing the sparkle.
Gemologists will study three light effects in your diamond when determining the quality of its cut:
brightness, the combination of all white light reflecting from the stone; fire, the diamond’s
colored flashes; and scintillation, the overall pattern of bright and dark areas when the diamond
is moved.
For instructions on how to read your diamond’s cut grade on
your World Gemological Institute report, click here.
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