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You’ve probably heard about it. The 4 Cs – Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat – are a diamond's widely accepted standard characteristics that determine its quality.
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Based on these qualities, you can determine the value of a diamond. Below we take a closer look into the individual 4Cs.
IN THIS ARTICLE
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What Are The 4C's Of Diamonds?
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The 4cs of diamond known as clarity, carat, color, and cut decide the price of an overall diamond.
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The 4cs of a diamond are decided by appearance also, and they all connect each other.
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If the diamond color isn't good, but the diamond clarity is good, then the diamond provides a combined look of dullness and brightness.
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That's why the 4cs of diamonds are more important.
A Diamond’s Quality Is Determined By The 4C’s:
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Cut: Quality of the angles, proportions, facets, and finishing details.
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Color: How colorless the diamond is.
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Clarity: How clean the diamond is of inclusions and blemishes.
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Carat: The weight of the diamond.
Robert M. Shipley
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According to Wikipedia “Four characteristics known informally as the four Cs are now commonly used as the basic descriptors of diamonds: carat, cut, color, and clarity.
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This system was developed by the Gemological Institute of America in 1953 as an internationally recognized standard to evaluate diamonds characteristics.“
Let's Start With The First C Of Diamond, A Color Grade.
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What is the diamond color grade?
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Color Grade Chart
Source: luxurianjewels.com
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The shape of the diamond also influences its spot on the color scale. A round brilliant diamond, for example, hides color incredibly well, meaning you can go further down the scale without seeing any yellowing.
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However, longer diamond shapes, like oval and radiant, reveal color much easier.
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Keep in mind, though, diamond color is essentially personal preference and doesn't indicate quality whatsoever.
Identify Diamond Clarity Grade
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Diamonds are graded on a scale of 10 categories, from Flawless (no inclusions or blemishes visible under 10x magnification) to Included (inclusions and blemishes visible to the naked eye). The clarity scale is as follows:
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Note: That each diamond differs slightly. Rather than sticking to a particular grade on the diamond clarity chart, review each diamond to see if you notice imperfections.
Source: luxurianjewels.com
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Choosing the right clarity grade for your diamond purchase depends on your personal preferences and budget. If you are looking for a diamond that is completely free of inclusions and blemishes, you may want to consider a Flawless or Internally Flawless diamond. However, keep in mind that these diamonds can be very expensive.
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If you are on a budget but still want a diamond that appears to be eye-clean, you may want to consider a diamond with a clarity grade of VS1 or VS2. These diamonds are generally less expensive than Flawless or Internally Flawless diamonds but still appear to be eye-clean.
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If you are willing to sacrifice a little bit of clarity for a larger diamond, you may want to consider a diamond with a clarity grade of SI1 or SI2. These diamonds are generally less expensive than diamonds with higher clarity grades but may have inclusions or blem.
The Importance Of Diamond Cuts
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This refers to the way the diamond has been cut and shaped. The cut determines how well the diamond reflects light and sparkles.
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A well-cut diamond will have more brilliance and fire, and will therefore be more valuable.
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The GIA diamond cut chart grades Diamond Cut on the scale of Ideal, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor.
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The Ideal and Excellent grades, depending on Diamond Shape, signify proportions and angles cut for maximum brilliance and fire.
Diamond Cut:
Source: luxurianjewels.com
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Even if two diamonds are given the same grade on the diamond cut chart, cuts vary significantly among diamonds and diamond cutters.
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At times, a cutter may aim for maximum Carat weight, leaving the diamond too deep or too shallow for optimal light reflection.
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Other times a diamond may be cut to minimize the number of inclusions, improving its Clarity, but forgoing maximum sparkle.
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Even an Ideal cut diamond may have a yellow tint that is too noticeable and detracts from the gem’s beauty.
What C Of The 4 C's Should I Prioritize When Buying A Diamond Ring?
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There are two major questions you need to answer; Where and what. We have an article covering where to buy your engagement ring. In this article we are covering what characteristics you should focus on when purchasing a diamond.
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Without finding the right balance between the 4cs, you will end up overpaying for certain qualities of a diamond while not spending enough on others. Let’s say you are thinking of purchasing a one carat diamond. If you balance the 4Cs you can get a stunning looking diamond like this that is a great value.
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If you ignore that balance you can end up with a cheap, yet incredibly ugly, diamond like this example from James Allen. Or you can think “only the best” and spend a boatload on this exquisite diamond. But if you follow our recommendations, you can find the perfect balance of quality and value.
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The priority of the 4 Cs (cut, color, clarity, and carat weight) when buying a diamond ring depends on your personal preferences and budget. However, in general, it's recommended to prioritize the cut of the diamond over the other three Cs.
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The cut of a diamond affects its brilliance, fire, and overall appearance. A well-cut diamond will have better proportions, symmetry, and polish, allowing it to reflect and refract light more effectively. This results in a more beautiful and dazzling diamond.
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Next, consider your preference for color and clarity. While colorless diamonds are generally considered the most valuable, slight variations in color and clarity can be difficult to detect to the untrained eye. Therefore, you may be able to save some money by selecting a diamond with a slightly lower color or clarity grade without sacrificing much in terms of appearance.
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Finally, consider the carat weight of the diamond. While larger diamonds may be more impressive, they can also be significantly more expensive. Consider your budget and prioritize a balance between carat weight and the other three Cs.
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Ultimately, it's important to work with a reputable jeweler who can help you understand the 4 Cs and select a diamond that fits your preferences and budget.
Which Of The 4 C’s Is The Most Important?
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Diamond cut importance includes in deciding the prices. Diamond cut is important for reflecting the lights from south to west and north to the east portion of the diamond. For brilliant sparkling reflection, a diamond cut is very very necessary.
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While cut includes shape, in terms of the 4C's, it refers to the proportions of the girdle facets and pavilion patterns and length. A diamond's cut grade is an objective measure of a diamond's light performance or the amount of sparkle. Diamond cut importance is understood when it is absent or scales at a poor cut grade.
Source: luxurianjewels.com
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When light passes through the girdle facets, if the diamond cut is not placed with care, all sparkle reflections of the diamond destroy. Also, the diamond cut represents the work of craftmanship of the girdle. If the girdle is thick and ugly, it scales as a poor cut grade.
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While the cut grade shows "excellent cut" in the certification report, you understand that you have a masterpiece. In brilliant cut diamonds, you'll be found girdle facets with exact proportions and placed with design. That's why diamond cut would be essential for the optimum appearance of the jewelry.
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A diamond's overall proportions and the size of facets give shape to the cut grade. The diamond’s cut grade decides the diamond's consistency and balance of sparkling ability. Light enters the diamond surface and returns easily when a diamond is cut and polished with the proper proportions.
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If a diamond has too shallow a cut grade(pavilion has more length and wide width), the light will escape from the bottom of the stone. The light will not returns from the sides if the diamond cut is too deep. Studies have been conducted to find the optimum proportions of a diamond's cut so that it has the greatest amount of sparkle.
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It is considered an ideal cut if its cut falls within those parameters. Diamonds with fine proportions, symmetry, and polish optimize their interaction with light and have increased brilliance, dispersion, and scintillation.
Discuss Final call
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Thus, Diamond 4C's such as carat, clarity, color, and cut defines the prices. If Diamond 4C's not available in the market, then it is very hard to decide the value. Thanks for deciding on Diamond 4C's standardized scales. In the 4C's of Diamond, all the factors are connected to each other like a supply chain.
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If from Diamond's cut, clarity, carat, or color, anyone has a dull or strange appearance, then the price is downgraded with $$ only, but the actual value has been in $$$ or $$$$ maybe sometimes. That's why 4C's in Diamonds are very important.
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Hope you this post on Diamond 4C clears the picture of clarity, cut, carat, and color in your mind. You have to consider and implement what you learn from this post while purchasing diamonds. So, I understand you follow the information while you're purchasing diamonds online/offline.
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Want to purchase a diamonds with full consideration of 4C's then visit https://www.luxurianjewels.com/ Here you can make your purchase power better and be educated with trending industry changes.