You need to pay attention to the diamond's four C's, color, clarity, cut and carat weight, when buying diamond earrings, diamond rings or any form of diamond jewelry. The measure of a diamond's quality is these four features. If these four characteristics have high scores, the diamond jewelry is considered a lot more beautiful and its price will be higher.

Diamond color chart

The finest diamonds are nearly clear since traditionally, it is graded on lack of color. Faint shades of gray, yellow and brown are the hues rated in "white" diamonds. To express the color, an alphabetical chart from D to Z is used. Envision a glass of clear water in contrast with a glass of water mixed with a few drops of lemonade; you will get an understanding of the differences in diamond color chart. Color diffusion in diamond jewelry is approximately shown in the following color chart:

D-F: Colorless

G-I: Nearly colorless

J-K: Soft color

L-R: Recognizable color

S-Z: Obvious color

When the diamond has a very different tone than gray, yellow and brown, or its color vividness goes beyond Z, it becomes a fancy colored diamonds. For grading fancy colors, the amount and strength of color are assessed. You'll find a diamond in every color of the rainbow including black, purple, yellow, pink and blue. Fancy diamonds are generally more rare than white diamonds.

Importance of diamond clarity

The diamond is rated depending on its inclusions and scars; the grade is termed clarity. The diamond with fewer flaws and blemishes is considered more valuable. The diamond's brilliance may also be directly impacted by clarity. The attribute that gives brilliant beauty to the stone is the light that reflects within it, which gets blocked when there are inclusions.

According to the observation of a qualified gemologist, here are diamond clarity grades listed from best to least:

FL (flawless): Under 10-power magnification, there are no obvious inclusions or blemishes of any sort, inside or outside the diamond.

IF (internally flawless): Under 10-power magnification, some external or surface blemishes like miniscule scratch are found on the stone but it doesn't have internal inclusions.

VVS-1 & 2 (very, very slightly included): An experienced gemologist has considerable trouble finding the very tiny inclusions in this stone under 10-power magnification.

VS-1 & 2 (very slightly included): The slight blemishes of this diamond are fairly challenging to determine under 10-power magnification.

SI-1 & 2 (slightly included): Blemishes of this stone are somewhat easily seen with 10-power magnification, but with no magnification, are very difficult for a gemologist to notice.

SI-3 (slightly included): The border where these stones come is between SI-2 and I-1.

I-1, 2 & 3 (included): Even with no magnification, the diamond has noticeable inclusions.

Diamond clarity enhancement

You will see in the product description that several diamonds are treated to further improve the clarity. In the item description of an individual piece of jewelry, Overstock.com will determine clarity-enhanced diamonds. The method goes like this:

High-refractive-index glass substance in very small quantity is introduced into surface-reaching feathers to reduce their visibility. The effects of this treatment are successfully seen on very thin crevices and fissures. This procedure does not affect the diamond's natural color and is therefore still considered natural. With this enhancement procedure, zero weight is added to the diamond since only very small amounts of filler are utilized. You will notice a "flash effect" when you watch a clarity-enhanced diamond almost parallel to the plane of the filled structure. Against a brilliant background, the flash effect normally looks blue; while against a dark background it appears yellow or orange. It is normally just the two colors and does not consist of a full array of color. For greatest outcomes with 10 times magnification, put this optical effect under a focused beam of extreme light.

It has been established by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), after comprehensive research, that the filler substance may be damaged by high heat or acids but is steady under normal wear situations. Before restoration work is done, remove clarity-enhanced diamonds to easily avoid damage.

Diamond cut

The term diamond cut refers to the stone's shape, proportion, polish and symmetry. All of great importance when cutting a stone to its best appearance is the stone's shape and proportion. What affects how a diamond shines or "scintillates" is its shape and proportion; brightness is mirrored and refracted inside the stone and this is the cause of its sparkle. The face-up appearance of the stone can differ significantly depending on how deep or shallow the diamond is cut. The entrance and exit of light in the facets of the diamond certifies its polish. The stone symmetry is a description of both its depth percentages and length to width ratio. For diamonds, "ideal cut" is the best.

Diamond carat

The weight description of diamonds is its carat. The abbreviation "ct" or "CT" is used to describe just one stone. "Total diamond weight" or "TDW" is put in when the jewelry is set with several stones. To explain further - "1ct" may be used to describe a solitaire diamond engagement ring and "1ct TDW" for a 3-stone diamond anniversary ring. (Note: To refer to gold's purity, the term used is not carat but "karat" and is abbreviated "k". So, in a 22k setting, you may have a 1ct diamond.)

Equating carat weight with the stone's actual size is difficult for most people. To compare carat weight to millimeters, we have provided a short guideline here. We are using round and princess cut diamonds in this illustration. The diamond shape, depth and cut of a specific stone and its various distinctions can determine important versions from these sample measurements.