The details associated with evaluation of diamonds are probably never as important as when it’s your engagement ring that is the focus of your interest. Diamonds stir up sentiment and intrigue as you think about the luxury and fire as your ring is displayed upon your fiancée’s finger. Whether you are searching together or whether you intend to surprise her, the right ring is part of your ideal moment. Knowing the four Cs will equip you to make the best decision in selecting a bridal set or engagement ring.
Cut is the most familiar term related to diamonds, but it is also potentially the least understood. When you think of cut you may be considering the shape of your gem. Princess cut, emerald cut or round cut come to mind. However, the upper shape is only as beautiful as the cut of the underneath area of your gem allows it to be. An ideal cut allows for the most beautiful refraction of light through the gem, and your diamonds cut too shallow or too deep will not be as brilliant as you might desire. Angles used in the cut also contribute to the brilliance of your stones. Categorization of cut ranges from fair to ideal.
Color is hard to distinguish with the naked eye. A colorless diamond in your bridal jewelry is the most highly valued, with less valuable gems being more yellow in appearance. A rating scale of D to Z is used, with D, E, and F rated gems being very expensive. There are diamonds in other colors, including unusual chocolate diamonds, but the more common options selected in bridal jewelry range from G to M in color ratings.
Carat is a unit of measure that relates the weight of a diamond. The smaller a diamond is, the less its weight. Value is not strictly determined by this weight, but weight does play a role in the valuation of a gem.
Clarity references the presence or absence of flaws in a diamond. A rating system is used to indicate the type and quantity of flaws present in a stone, and while few gems are completely flawless, there are those rare diamonds classified with F for flawless. Inclusions, small crystals, and cloudy areas are among the minute features that are used to grade a diamond, most of these being invisible to the naked eye.
