Beauty Born with Earth Itself

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 are called the 4Cs.

Cut.

Of all the 4 Cs, cut has the greatest effect on a diamond’s beauty. In grading, cut evaluates the cutters and polishers skill in the fashioning of the diamond.

Diamonds have a unique ability to manipulate light efficiently. This unique ability can be released and maximized only by cutting and polishing the diamond to an extremely high level of accuracy.

The result is a magnificent display of three attributes. Brightness is the combination of all white light reflecting from the diamond. Fire describes the flares of color emitted from a diamond. Scintillation describes the flashes of light you see when a diamond, the light or the observer moves.

Color.

A truly colorless diamond is extremely rare. Most diamonds possess varying degrees of yellow and brown and small, subtle differences in color can make a substantial difference in value. If a diamond is well cut, the diamond’s refraction and dispersion often will disguise the coloration. The color scale extends from D to Z.
Color grades are determined by comparing the diamond to a Master set.

Clarity.

There are eleven clarity grades ranging from Flawless to I3. Because diamonds form under tremendous heat and pressure, it is extremely rare to find a diamond that lacks any internal and external characteristics. The fewer inclusions or blemishes there are, the rarer the diamond. By evaluating the size, location, nature, number, and color of the inclusions and blemishes, a clarity grade is assigned.

Carat.

The standard used to measure is the carat. Each carat is further divided into points, each point is 1/100th of a carat. As diamonds increase in size, their cost tends to increase geometrically. Weight does not always enhance the value of a diamond. In fact, when a diamond is improperly cut, added weight may serve only to reduce its value and brilliance.
Sample of a AGS Diamond Certification

Sample of GIA Report

Watch a short video about Diamonds