The GIA created the first and now globally accepted standard for describing diamonds which include the colour, clarity, cut and carat weight. The 4 c’s of diamond quality is the universal method for assessing the quality of any diamond.

The creation of the 4 c’s is important because now customers like you know exactly what they are purchasing. When you get the diamond it will come with a certificate explaining how the diamond has been graded.

Colour

Graded D-Z which is the colourlessness of a diamond. The colour evaluation of most diamonds is based on the absence of colour because a chemically pure and structurally perfect diamond has no hue. It is like a drop of pure water and consequently has a higher value. The lowest (and most expensive) grade of colour is D and the amount of colour increases up to the letter Z.

Clarity

Natural diamonds are the result of carbon being exposed to tremendous heat and pressure deep in the earth and this process can result in a variety of internal characteristics called inclusions and external characteristics called blemishes. Many inclusions and blemishes are too small to be seen with the naked eye and while no diamond is perfectly pure, the closer it is to perfect, the higher the value.

The GIA created a clarity scale which has the following categories: FL, VVS, VS, SI, I which are divided into 11 smaller categories. VVS1 AND VVS2 may look the same but they are quite different in terms of the overall quality, therefore expert assessment of diamond quality is extremely important.

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Cut

Diamonds are renowned for their ability to bounce back light and sparkle, that’s why we love them isn’t it? Cut shouldn’t be confused with the shape (e.g. round, pear, princess) the diamond’s cut grade refers to how well the facets interact with light. Diamond cutting is an art, it takes so much precision to fashion a stone so that it’s proportions, symmetry and polish deliver that magnificent return of light that is only possible with a diamond. The quality of the diamond’s cut is crucial to the beauty of the final diamond and its value.

Carat

This is a measurement of how much a diamond or gemstone weighs. 1 carat is 200 milligrams, although when we weigh gemstones in the boutique we measure them in carats. The modern carat system started years ago when early gem traders used the small uniform seeds of the carob plant as counterweights in their balance scales. Diamonds with a higher carat weight are more expensive because large diamonds are rare and more desirable. But if we had 2 diamonds of equal carat weight they could still have very different values depending on the other 3 c’s. It is important to understand that the quality of diamonds is determined by all 4 c’s, not just the carat weight.

We can source quality diamonds for your bespoke jewellery or jewellery redesign whilst keeping within your budget. For more information email enquiries@www.roseannacroftjewellery.com