The 4C’s of Diamond Quality is the universal method for assessing the quality of any diamond, anywhere in the world.

 

 

 

CARAT 
When we talk about the ‘carat’ of a diamond, it refers to the weight of a diamond, and not the size. One carat of diamond is also known as 100 points. This can then be divided down, so that 50 points of diamond refers to half a carat and 25 points refers to a quarter of a carat, and so on. Do not assume that the higher the carat weight, the higher the value of the diamond, as this is not always the case.

COLOUR

The colour of a diamond is one of the key factors in determining the value of the stone. A traditional diamond is considered to be a ‘white’ stone, although they can actually be found in many colours, such as pink and yellow. A ‘white’ diamond may in fact have traces of yellow in it’s colour caused by the presence of nitrogen when it was formed and the most sought after and valuable stones are the one’s with the least amount of colour. Each diamond is given a grade from D-Z depending on how little colour is visible with D being colourless and therefore the rarest and most valuable.

 CLARITY
All diamonds have minute naturally occurring inclusions and blemishes which occur during the diamond’s formation. This is what makes
every single stone individual, like a fingerprint or birthmark. The amount of inclusions in each diamond can differ from none to multiple,
and so clarity refers to the level of flawlessness the diamond has. The more flawless a diamond, the rarer and more valuable it will be.
However, most imperfections are invisible to the naked eye, and perfect clarity is incredibly rare in a diamond. Assessments are carried
out using a 10x magnification, and a diamond will be graded for clarity against an approved scale as shown.

CUT
The cut of a diamond refers to its proportions and finish, which influence the value of a diamond. The cut is the only factor that is
affected by the human hand, as it is not determined by nature. A skilled professional will work on a rough diamond stone to give it it’s ideal
proportions and cutting it into a finished shape that is more familiar. The cut should not be confused with shape of the finished diamond,
such as round brilliant, princess or baguette. The cut of the diamond can affect the way the light catches the stone, effecting the way it
sparkles so for diamonds of equivalent carat weight, colour and clarity, the better the cut, the more valuable a diamond will be. This is because
the way a diamond is cut affects three important factors: Brilliance – the total white light reflected from the surface of a diamond.
Fire – the dispersion of light into the colours of the spectrum. Scintillation – the flashes of light, or sparkle, when a diamond is moved.