EDUCATION

The 4 C’s of Diamond Grading

Every diamond is unique. Each reflects the story of its arduous journey from deep inside the earth to a cherished object of adornment. Yet all diamonds share certain features that allow us to compare and evaluate them. These features are called the 4Cs.

Carat: A diamond’s weight is expressed in Carats. Each carat is divided into 100 points, which means that a 1 Carat stone equals 100 points. Another example shows a half of a carat written as 0.50 CT. Some dealers will advertise a ring as 1.00 CTW, which means that all of the stones total one carat.

Clarity: Thanks to nature, each diamond has its own characteristics. Many factors, including inclusions and blemishes, along with their size, colour and position, help us to determine a clarity grade. The difference between an inclusion and a blemish is that an inclusion is positioned within the stone, while a blemish is on the surface.

Colour: Colourless diamonds are the most rare. Most diamonds have slight shades of yellow or brown. The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) colour grading system uses the letters D through Z.

Cut: Cut is the only characteristic of a diamond derived from a human element. Cut is what gives a diamond its brillance and fire.

A “5th C” is often added - Diamond Certificate: This is a grading report, prepared by an accredited appraiser, listing the particular diamond’s characteristics, including: shape, measurements, carat weight, clarity, colour and cut.