How to Buy Jewellery By Following The 4Cs Of Diamond Quality
Before you head out to buy any diamond jewellery, you will need to take the time to learn about diamond quality. Doing so will mean that you will have at least a basic idea of what you should be looking for here and make sure that you get that perfect piece of diamond jewellery that you will be happy with. The 4Cs of diamond quality will enable you to wisely choose your next diamond jewellery.
There are many different diamonds out there, each with its distinct qualities. To make life easier for consumers and jewellers, a grading system called the 4Cs is used. This system is used across the industry and around the world.
What Are The 4Cs Of Diamond Quality?
The 4Cs are Colour, Clarity, Cut, and Carat Weight. The system was devised many years ago by the Gemological Institute of America to standardise the description and grading of diamonds. Unfortunately, although the system is implemented everywhere, not all inspection and grading organisations uniformly apply the standards.
Where possible, try to get a grading report (sometimes called a certificate) from the GIA as they have the highest and most consistent application of the standards. Our custom diamond jewellery always has a diamond grading report from the GIA when the central diamond is 0.50 carats or larger.
About Diamond Colour Grades
Usually, we think of diamonds as being icy white or clear gemstones. The truth is that a perfectly clear or white diamond is very rare indeed! Almost all diamonds have a hint of colour to them, usually yellow. In most cases, this pale colour is so slight that we can ignore it, but lower grade jewellery diamonds can have a noticeable yellow or brown hue.
The colour of clear/colourless diamonds is graded on a scale of letters from D (absolutely colourless) through to Z (noticeably light yellow or brown). It can be tough to see the colour difference between adjacent colour grades, and, to most people, a G graded diamond will appear perfectly white. That is why, at All Diamond, most of our diamonds are of G colour grade. After all, it is not worth paying more money for something that you can't see and not worth paying less for something that is visibly imperfect! G colour grade is, in our opinion, a sweet spot for quality and price.
1.00ct Baguette and Round Cut Claw Set Diamond Cross in 18k White Gold
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$3,282.00
This dainty and luxurious cross pendant is a classic piece that offers gorgeous sparkle. With sustainable G/SI quality diamonds in fine white gold, it makes the perfect gift for any special occasion. UK hallmarked and the diamonds used are conflict-free.… read more
About Diamond Clarity Grades
The clarity of a diamond describes the number and visibility of internal flaws (inclusions) and blemishes of a diamond.
The GIA scale for clarity is a numeric/alphabet scale running from FL (Flawless) through to I3 (Included). A flawless diamond will have no inclusions or blemishes at a magnification of 10X. Included diamonds will have flaws and blemishes that are obvious at 10X magnification and where the flaws are such that the brilliance and transparency of the diamond may be affected.
Most diamond jewellery sold by All Diamond is graded as SI. Most flaws will not be visible at this level but might be noticeable at 10X magnification. This, again, is a sweet spot for quality and price. Once again, there is no need to pay for something that you cannot see! Only an expert will spot the flaws, yet an SI diamond's cost will be much less than a higher graded diamond.
About Diamond Cut Grades
Many people think that a diamond's cut refers to its shape. That's not correct, but it is understandable because often, a diamond's shape is referred to as a cut, for example, round brilliant cut, Asscher cut, and princess cut.
The cut of a diamond refers to how light is collected and reflected by the facets of the diamond. Maximising the sparkle and brilliance of a diamond is a highly skilled task. The better the quality of cutting and polishing, the longer the work takes to complete.
The cut of the diamond is the only aspect of the diamond that depends on the skill of the artisans who work upon the gemstone. The cut grade of diamonds is assessed using a scale of descriptive words: Ideal, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor.
At All Diamond, our artisans' minimum cut grade is Very Good. This, as with the colour and clarity grades we use, is a sweet spot in terms of price and quality.
About Diamond Carat Weight
Diamond carat weight is a measure of the weight of a diamond. One carat equals 200 milligrams. The larger a diamond is, the more it will cost; however, because larger diamonds are much rarer than smaller stones, a one carat diamond price is less than half the price of a two carat stone of equal quality.
It is important to remember that the price of a diamond is not just about the weight of the stone. The price is a combination of all of the 4Cs. So, two diamonds of the same weight can have very different values.
Although two diamonds can have the same weight, they may have different visual sizes! That is because the proportions of different shapes and even individual diamonds of the same weight and shape can vary. For example, a round brilliant diamond will tend to look smaller when viewed from above in a ring than a princess cut diamond. The princess cut gemstone has corners and looks square and thus larger than a round brilliant diamond with no corners.
Ready To Start Looking For Your New Diamond Jewellery?
Now that you know more about the 4Cs of diamond quality, you will be better positioned to choose the right diamond jewellery for yourself or a loved one. As a rule, do not focus on just one aspect of diamond quality and try to think about all of the 4Cs.
In our opinion, the most important consideration is this: If you cannot see a difference, then do not pay for better quality - unless you really, really want to do so for subjective reasons!
You will not go far wrong in getting the best gemstone and jewellery for your money if you choose jewellery of this standard! This is why we have selected the colour grade G, clarity SI and minimum cut quality Very Good for most of our diamond jewellery.
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Are you looking for a beautiful yet timeless piece? This stunning white gold bracelet is the perfect example of a classic piece you'll be proud to give or receive. Crafted from UK hallmarked 18K white gold, with 10.00ct of G/SI… read more
Please take a few minutes to browse our British-designed and handcrafted diamond jewellery collections. We are confident that you will find designs and styles that inspire you!
