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How to Grade a Diamond
By Alex Naswari
In this issue, I am going to educate you on the Four C’s of a diamond which are the CUT, CARAT, CLARITY and COLOR.
How a diamond has been CUT, polished, and to what proportions, are very important since these factors determine the life, brilliance and luster of a diamond. If these cutting factors fall below standard, the appearance of the diamond will be adversely affected. The brilliant or round cut is the most popular but other exquisite cuts such as the marquise, pear, oval, emerald, heart shape, princess and others are also highly prized.
The weight or size of a diamond is measured in CARATS. A carat is 0.2 grams and there are 100 points per carat. With an accuracy of 1/100,000 ct the G.I.A. scales provide a highly precise diamond weight and this weight is a big factor in determining the cost of a diamond.
In order to grade the CLARITY of a diamond, it is necessary to determine the number and nature of any inclusions (imperfections) in the stone as well as their size and position. This analysis is carried out using a G.I.A.scope magnifying the diamond 10x by experienced gemologists. A diamond is said to be “Internally Flawless” when it presents no internal defect (imperfections) under 10x magnification.
The COLOR of a diamond varies in shade from colorless to yellow. To determine the correct color, all submitted diamonds are compared with an internally accepted master set of stones, the color of which ranges from D, or colorless (the most sought after) to Z, which is the yellowest. Other colors occur in diamonds such as yellow, orange, pink, blue, black, etc. The most intense of these shades are valued and called “Fancy” colors.
I hope this information will be helpful to you in the future when purchasing a diamond. Please feel free to stop by my shop at any time if you have any questions regarding the Fours C’s of a diamond. In our next edition I would like to educate you on the art of Custom Jewelry Design and the ways in which you can have a custom piece made and Save Money!
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