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Carat:
A carat is the universal measure of weight for
a diamond. It's the easiest of the 4Cs to determine, but two
diamonds of equal size can have very different values, because
the quality is still determined by the color, clarity and cut.
Larger diamonds are found relatively infrequently
in nature, which makes them more valuable than smaller sizes.
Did you know that fewer than one percent of women
will ever own a diamond weighing one or more carats?
Clarity:
Clarity is an indication of a diamond's purity.
In all but the rarest diamonds, tiny traces of minerals, gasses
or other elements were trapped inside the Diamond during the
crystallization process. These are called inclusions, and in
fact are similar to birthmarks. They may look like tiny crystals,
clouds, or feathers and they're what make each diamond different
and unique.
Many of these inclusions are not visible to the
naked eye. The clarity of a diamond is graded by how many, how
big and how visible the inclusions are. The fewer and smaller
the inclusions, the more rare and valuable the diamond. Less
than 1% of all diamonds ever found have had no inclusions and
can be called flawless (FL) or internally flawless (IF).
The larger, more visible and frequently occurring
the inclusions, the lower the grade and the less rare the diamond.
Diamonds with inclusions visible with the naked eye are graded
I1 to I3.
Color:
While many diamonds appear colorless, or white,
they may actually have subtle yellow or brown tones that can
be detected when comparing diamonds side by side. Diamonds were
formed under intense heat and pressure, and traces of other
elements may have been incorporated into their atomic structure
accounting for the variances in color.
Diamond color grades start at D and continue through
the alphabet. Truly colorless stones, graded D, are extremely
rare and very valuable.
The closer a diamond is to being colorless, the
rarer and more valuable it is. A single change in color grade
can significantly affect a diamond's value.
Although the presence of color makes a diamond
less rare and valuable, some diamonds come out of the ground
in vivid "fancy" colors--well-defined reds, blues, pinks, greens,
and bright yellows. These can be highly prized and are often
extremely rare.
Cut:
While nature determines a diamond's color, clarity,
and uncut carat weight, the hand of a master craftsman is needed
to release its fire and beauty.
The cut gives each diamond its unique sparkle
and brilliance by allowing the maximum amount of light to enter
and reflect back out of the diamond.
If the cut is too deep or too shallow light will
spill through the side or bottom and be lost, resulting in a
less brilliant display and thus, a less valuable diamond. The
cut plays a big part in determining the value of a diamond.
A well-cut diamond will be considerably more beautiful and valuable
than a poorly cut stone of the same size, clarity, and color.
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