|
|
.
The Four Cs of Diamonds
by: M J Plaster
Precious, brilliant and expensive—why wouldn't diamonds
be a girl's best friend? When giving the most
significant gift of a lifetime, most men, and even the
women who receive them, know precious little about
diamonds. By the time they're old and experienced enough
to know about cut, shape, grade, brilliance, color,
weight, and setting, they already have the diamond of a
lifetime. Crack the vocabulary, and you'll be on your
way to purchasing your first diamond with confidence.
The Four Cs
Diamonds are not created equally! "The Four Cs of
Diamonds"— cut, clarity, color, and carat determine
diamond grade. A diamond certificate accompanies each
diamond and includes grades for each of the four Cs as
documented by a gemologist. Learn what these terms mean
to avoid that "deer in the headlights" look when the
jeweler uses these terms.
Cut refers to the physical cut, not the shape of the
diamond, and it affects the brilliance of the diamond.
If the cut is too shallow or too deep, the refraction of
the light detracts from the brilliance.
Grades for cut, from best to worst, include Ideal,
Premium, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. The Ideal grade
applies exclusively to round diamonds.
Clarity measures the purity of the diamond. Most
diamonds include some flaws, called inclusions. All but
the rare flawless diamonds contain inclusions of varying
number and size. The Clarity grade measures the purity
of the diamond, the relative absence of flaws. Clarity
grades the appearance under 10X magnification. Top
grades include F (flawless—forget it, you'll never see
this), IF (internally flawless, you'll never afford it),
VVS1-VVS2 (very, very slightly flawed—not we're getting
a little more realistic), VS1-VS2 (very slightly
flawed), and SI1-SI2 (slightly flawed). All but the
VS1-VS2 and SI1-SI2 diamonds contain flaws that are
invisible or barely visible under 10X magnification.
Lesser grades include I1- -I3 (flawed and obvious
without magnification). If price is a consideration,
then invisible to the naked eye is a reasonable
tradeoff.
Color actually refers to the absence of color in
diamonds. The finest diamonds are colorless, which
allows them to absorb and reflect more light, displaying
more brilliance. White diamonds range from ice white to
light yellow. Color is graded on a scale from D-Z, with
D-grade diamonds being colorless and Z-grade diamonds
containing the most color. Grades G-J are near colorless
to the human eye, and offer the best value for the
money.
Carat refers to weight. Because large diamonds are
extremely rare, the price rises exponentially rather
than arithmetically according to carat weight.
Each of the four Cs affects price. Once you set a
budget, determine the attributes most important to you
and select your diamond according to your preferences.
Learn a few more simple terms, and you're well on your
way to demystifying the world of diamonds and carrying
on a conversation with your jeweler that will turn the
heads of less astute shoppers.
Shape also affects price, but only in terms of "shape
appeal," how pleasing the shape is to the naked eye. By
far, the most popular shape is the Round diamond, and
it's the most expensive as well. Fancy shapes such as
Emerald, Marquis, Pear, Heart, Oval, Radiant and
Princess, are less expensive than Round diamonds. Side
by side, fancy diamonds look larger than Round diamonds
of equal carat weight. If you want something out of the
ordinary, a fancy shape might be right for
you.
Facets refer to the flat, polished surfaces of the
diamond. The round diamond checks in at 58 facets, the
most facets of all the shapes. The most important facet
is the top or Table facet—the largest facet. Diamonds
cut to perfection enable the facets to refract the light
brilliantly.
Settings should enhance the brilliance and size of the
stones, not detract from them. The range of choices is
stunning, from the metal to the prong display. Even more
than shape, the setting reflects your personal
preference and style. |
|
|
|
Refer this site to your friends |
|
|
