Diamonds
The Four C's of Diamond Value
Four Factors
- known as the Four Cs affect the value of every diamond:
- Clarity
- Colour
- Cut
- Carat Weight
Clarity:
A stone's relative position on a flawless-to-imperfect scale.
Clarity characteristics are classified as inclusions
(internal) or blemishes (external). The size, number, position,
nature, and colour or relief of characteristics determine
the clarity grade. Very few diamonds are flawless, that is,
show no inclusions or blemishes when examined by a skilled
grader under 10x magnification. If other factors are equal,
flawless stones are most expensive.
Colour:
Grading colour in the normal range involves deciding how closely
a stone's body colour approaches colourlessness. Most diamonds
have at least a trace of yellow, brown, or body colour bodycolour.
With the exception of some natural fancy colours, such as
blue, pink, purple, or red, the colourless grade is the most
valuable.
Cut:
The proportions and finish of a finish of a polished diamond
(also called make).
Cut
can also mean shape,
as in emerald
cut or marquise
cut. Proportions
are the size and angle relationships between the facets and
different parts of the stone. Finish includes polish and details
of facet shape and placement. Cut affects both the weight
yield from rough and the optical efficiency of the polished
stone; the more successful the cutter is in balancing these
considerations, the more valuable the stone will be.
Carat
Weight:
The metric carat, which equals 0.200 gram, is the standard
unit of weight for diamonds and most other gems. If other
factors are equal, the more a stone weights, the more valuable
it will be.
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