Diamond Education (4C's)

4 Cs (Cut, Color, Carat, Clarity)

Source & Credit: Gemological Institute of America www.GIA.edu

Susan Bella Jewelry sells "lively" diamonds - a beautiful balance of not only the 4C's listed below, but other important attributes that can affect the aesthetic. We are very selective when helping you find your perfect diamond!

CUT

The Cut is the most objective and scientific measurement of a diamond’s proportions, arrangement and alignment of the facets, and quality of the polish. In an ideally cut stone, the light entering the diamond reflects and refracts creating the fire, brilliance, and scintillation (“sparkle”) in the stone. The Cut is a result of the artistry and craftsmanship of the diamond cutter, to maximize the return of light.

CUT VS SHAPE

Of the 4 Cs, the "Cut" is the most crucial component to a particular stone’s overall beauty. The Cut should not be confused with the “shape” of a diamond. The Cut is only measured for Round Brilliant diamonds. All other shapes do not receive a “Cut” grade, but rather a polish and symmetry grade. The “Cut” is therefore more subjective for these shapes, and the beauty of the stone is more subject to the overall “look” that the client is trying to achieve.

Susan's Note: While GIA lists the cut as the most 'crucial component' to the quality, it is certainly not the only thing to focus on. There must be a balance of all other characteristics of a diamond to get the spectacular stone you are searching for.

COLOR

Color is generally considered the second most important attribute when selecting a diamond. This is because it’s usually the most noticeable characteristic, aside from size. A diamond’s color grade refers to the presence or lack of “tint” in the diamond. In a white diamond, this would be a presence or lack of yellow.

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) grades diamond color on a scale from D to Z (D being the most desirable color). While most diamonds appear to have no color to the untrained eye, most stones usually contain slight tones of yellow. The rule of thumb is that you need to jump two color grades to see a noticeable difference in color.

Susan's Note: The most ideal (& gorgeous) diamonds have lack of color - the best being D.

Diamonds in the D-to-F range are considered “Colorless”; these stones are the most rare, and therefore the most valuable. (SBJ's Favorites!)
Diamonds in the G-to-H range are considered “Near Colorless” and can offer more “value” with regards to pricing. (SBJ recommends this color or better)
Diamonds in the I-to-J range are defined by having “Noticeable Color” (a yellowish or yellowy tint). This is definitely subjective, and stone-specific. Some shapes are better at hiding color than others; for example the Round and Emerald camouflage color much better than a Cushion, Pear, or Oval would.

Note: "Fancy" Colored diamonds are valued gemstones. These diamonds can be red/pink, green, canary yellow or blue and have a distinct color grading system from “white” diamonds.

CARAT

The Carat is a measurement of how much a diamond weighs. Each Carat is divided into 100 “points”. For example a half-Carat stone is considered a “50 point diamond” (.50ct). All else being equal, diamond price increases with Carat weight because larger diamonds are more rare, and thus harder to source.

When looking for a diamond, Carat should be used as a guideline but not the determining factor in your selection. Carat is not necessarily the best indication of how large a stone will appear, rather the millimeter measurements of the diamond are a more important reflection of “size”, as this is what your eye sees.

CLARITY

A diamond’s Clarity grade is based on the number, size, and location of the imperfections that naturally occur in a diamond. Most imperfections tend to be microscopic and generally do not affect the overall beauty of a stone. These inclusions are natural identifying marks that occur during the diamond formation process. Clarity is graded on a scale ranging from Flawless to Included, and the visibility of the imperfections are graded under 10x magnification.

When selecting a diamond, the buyer will determine if he/she is comfortable with the imperfections in a particular stone, since every diamond will have a different occurrence of imperfections. It is best to assess clarity with the naked eye first, before looping the stone to evaluate the imperfections under magnification. Once a diamond is purchased and set into a piece of jewelry, it is rarely viewed under magnification, so we encourage our clients to make a purchase based on the “naked eye” view.

Susan's Note: It is extremely rare for two diamonds to be alike unless they are flawless; they are all unique like fingerprints. Because imperfections are usually weak spots, the location of them is very important (if they are on the girdle/edge, they can chip if knocked with force). Several inclusions can take away from the liveliness and overall appeal of a diamond, as well. Assessing diamonds with your naked eye is recommended (to determine which one is the most visually appealing), however it is still essential to look at the diamond solitaires you are considering under a microscope to be aware and educated of any clarity characteristics.

Susan's Note: SBJ does not sell diamonds in the S3-I3 quality. Why? In addition to the inclusions being visible with the naked eye, the quality indicates several inclusions which make the stone more susceptible to chipping, cleaving and breakage.

Source & Credit: Gemological Institute of America: www.GIA.edu