Be prepared and learn your 4C Diamond Ratings. The Diamond 4Cs give you the information you need to compare
the characteristics of diamonds within one jewelry store or from
one store to the next. They are essentially a rating system that
the wonderful diamond experts at GIA (Gem Institute of America)
established in order to assess the level of quality for each of
the four most important attributes of a diamond. CUT,
CLARITY, COLOR, AND CARAT.
The 4Cs are used the world over—so learn them, live them, love
them.
GIA does not set pricing for diamonds—the market sets
the price. GIA's reason for existence is simply to educate and protect
consumers through education and research.
Understanding the Diamond
Ratings and 4Cs will make shopping for that
perfect diamond ring a lot easier and help you avoid being
"sold" on a diamond.
Engaging Fact: Nearly 250 tons of
ore must be mined and processed in order to create a single,
one-carat diamond – just one of the reasons diamonds are so
precious!
Many young couples feel that they need to purchase the highest
quality diamond across each of the 4Cs. They won't settle for
anything less then a D flawless because they know that is the
highest quality.
Each diamond has its own
creativity and beauty which make it unique and you can't put
that on a rating scale.
So let's get back to the 4 Cs:
Diamond Cut: This refers to how the diamond is carved from
the raw stone. The smoothness and symmetry of the facets, their
proportions, alignment, and polish which leads to their
brilliance and sparkle.
Diamond Clarity: Clarity is about the the pureness of the
diamond and how clean it is which is measured by how many
imperfections it has.
Diamond Color: Color is just that--color! How much color the
stone has, and can range from absolutely colorless to a virtual
rainbow of colors.
Diamond Carat: Carat is the unit used for a diamond's weight.
A carat is made up of a 100 points and its value per carat
increases with a diamond's size. So the price per carat of a 2
carat diamond is more than the price of two 1 carat diamonds.
Please don't get carried away with GIA's rating scale.
It's simply there to help standardize diamond ratings and
protect consumers from fraud. It is not an appraisal and should
ONLY help GUIDE your decision along with your own personal
taste.
