4 C´S
We speak diamonds
When you are planning on purchasing a diamond it is important that you know as much as possible about how diamonds are classified.
Like snowflakes, no two diamonds are exactly alike, even if they appear identical at first glance. Each diamond is an ultimate original whose imperfections make it unique.
Diamonds are extreme, and nature’s most precious and beautiful creations. They are pure carbon crystals, formed under extreme heat and great pressure at depths of hundreds of kilometres in the earth’s mantle.
Most diamonds found in nature are over 1 billion years old. In a typical mine, 100 tons of rock needs to be processed in order to find a diamond larger than 1 carat.
In this video G.I.A. explains more about the graduation of the diamond.
DIAMOND CARAT
HOW TO UNDERSTAND DIAMOND QUALITY
Not Only Carats Matter
Carat is a measure of weight, not size. One carat (abbreviation ct) is equal to 0.20 grams. Only one in 1,000 diamonds weighs more than a carat.
Since larger diamonds are rarer than smaller ones, diamond value rises exponentially with carat weight.
Therefore, a one carat diamond will generally cost more than two half-carat diamonds, assuming all other specifications are equal.
Two diamonds of the same carat weight may have different prices based on their colour, clarity and cut. A heavier diamond isn’t automatically more valuable.
Read our in-depth article on diamond carats
DIAMOND COLOR
HOW TO UNDERSTAND DIAMOND QUALITY
The less color – the higher the value
Colourless and near-colourless diamonds are the most valuable. The exception to this is fancy color diamonds, such as pinks and blues, which lie outside this colour range.
The scale begins with the letter D, representing colorless, and continues with increasing presence of yellow color to the letter Z. Many of these color distinctions are so subtle that they can only be recognized by a professional under controlled lighting and using a master diamond sample set for comparison and accuracy.
These slight differences make a very big difference in diamond quality and price. Depending on the stone’s size, a single increase in color grade can boost the value of a diamond by thousands of dollars per carat.
Natural diamonds also occur in shades of blue, green, yellow-orange, pink or red. Known as ‘natural fancy colours’, these gems are extremely rare and valuable. They are graded according to the intensity of their colour.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DIAMOND COLOR
The value of a diamond is determined (in part) by its absence of color.
Diamond color is significant: Most engagement rings use near-colorless diamonds without traces of yellow or brown. All else being equal, the more colorless a diamond is, the rarer it is, and its price reflects this rarity.
Many people believe that a colorless diamond is more sparkling, although color has nothing to do with brilliance (that’s cut). However, it is still an important factor since it contributes to the diamond’s overall beauty.
The best value of diamonds is represented by near-colourless diamonds. Colour G is only one step below total colourlessness, so it looks completely colourless. H colour is another good ‘almost colourless’ option and is the last colour grade where yellow or brown is not evident when viewed from the top.
Concerning white diamonds, the most expensive diamond color grade is D.
The impact that D color makes in the look of your diamond is more subtle than the cut quality or carat weight. D color diamonds are expensive because they are rare, not because they are more attractive than other colorless diamonds.
DIAMOND CLARITY
HOW TO UNDERSTAND DIAMOND QUALITY
Unique Imperfections
The Clarity of a diamond is based on the number, location, size, and type of inclusions found in the stone.
An inclusion is an imperfection in the stone that is visible at ten-time magnification.
The clarity grade from “Flawless” to “Included” may also indicate whether the inclusion is near the centre of the stone or along its girdle, or outer edge.
Pure diamonds are extremely rare, and almost all contain “inclusions” or impurities.
These are caused by the incomplete crystallization of carbon or other minerals that were trapped in the mineral during the stone’s formation.
These imperfections are purely natural and highlight the uniqueness of each diamond.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DIAMOND CLARITY
It depends on how heavily included the stone is and where the inclusions are located.
Clarity do not affect brilliance directly.
The best diamond clarity is Flawless but the most popular clarity on the market for affordable diamond engagement rings is SI1 or SI2 as they can be eye- clean diamonds .
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) developed the now widely accepted standard for determining diamond clarity grade. The clarity scale consists of eleven unique clarity grades divided into six categories. Evaluating a diamond’s clarity requires a trained gemologist to determine the number, size, relief, nature, and position of any blemishes or inclusions and conclude how these affect the overall appearance of the individual stone.
Diamond clarity can be enhanced through two major methods: laser drilling and fracture filling.
Laser-drilled diamonds are stones that have had some of their flaws removed by burning them out with laser.
The procedure involves drilling microscopic channels in the stone to reach the inclusions that need to be cleared off.
Fracture filling is a process through which the channels created by laser drilling are filled with a crystal-like substance in order to make these tunnels less visible. This procedure is also applied to conceal some more noticeable natural cracks or fissures within a diamond.
One of the biggest determinants to the price of a diamond is the clarity. Clarity basically tells you how flawless the diamond is. The clarity grade given to a diamond should correspond with the number of flaws that are visible under magnification. The prices for diamonds will vary based on this number.
Each diamond is unique but in general, VS and SI are the best value for diamond clarity. For the best value, select a diamond with inclusions that can’t be seen through the crown without magnification (also known as eye clean diamonds) .
While clarity is an important factor, color is given a higher preference over clarity because it affects the entire body of a diamond as opposed to inclusions that may be present in a few spots of a diamond. Therefore, when compromising on clarity versus color, prioritize color.
An “eye-clean” diamond is one that has no imperfections visible to the unaided eye. They offer excellent value, being much less expensive than flawless (FL) or internally flawless (IF) diamonds, which are extremely rare and therefore command a higher price.
DIAMOND CUT
HOW TO UNDERSTAND DIAMOND QUALITY
Perfect cut = more sparkle, brilliance and fire
Cut is the only element of the 4 C´s influenced by the human hand and is often considered the most important.
Precise workmanship is required to cut a diamond so its proportions, symmetry, and polish maximize brightness and fire. If the diamond is not well cut, it will not interact with light as it should.
Each grade is evaluated according to 3 parameters: proportions, polish and symmetry. The Cut is divided into 5 grades:
Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DIAMOND CUT
Diamond cut is the single most important of the 4Cs when it comes to the physical beauty of a diamond.
Why? Because a diamond’s cut determines how much it sparkles.
The number of facets, the angle of the facets, and the symmetry and alignment of the shape will affect how the diamond returns light.
DIAMOND SHAPE
HOW TO UNDERSTAND DIAMOND QUALITY
A common misunderstanding is that the term ‘diamond cut’ also refers to the diamond’s shape.
Cut is what determines how well-cut your diamond is, whereas shape is the form into which it was cut.
Diamonds can be cut into various shapes, the best-known of which is probably the round brilliant.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DIAMOND SHAPES
The round brilliant diamond cut was actually designed and engineered specifically to have the strongest possible sparkle.
In 1919, Marcel Tolkowsky — an engineer and diamond cutter — published a new mathematical formula for achieving optimal diamond brilliance as his PhD thesis. The formula resulted in the creation of the round brilliant cut, now by far the world’s most popular diamond shape.
If you’re searching for the sparkliest, most brilliant diamond possible, the round brilliant cut is the shape you’ll typically want to choose and far the most popular.
Point cut Diamonds . Diamonds crystallize in various forms of which the octahedral and dodecahedral crystals are the two most common ones. These natural crystals have been adorned in their own right for millennia.
An 1 carat oval cut diamond can look a lot bigger than a classic 1 ct brilliant round diamond. Because its elongated shape, and larger table an oval cut diamonds can appear larger than they really are.
Carat-per-carat, emerald cuts are the least expensive. Because they are step-cut, there is less waste when these diamonds are cut off of the rough stone, which is going to cost the same no matter how it gets cut.
COLOURED DIAMONDS
HOW TO UNDERSTAND DIAMOND QUALITY
Colored diamonds are rarer in the diamond business than colorless diamonds, hence the diamond prices for these beauties varies.
Diamonds are classified as colored if they fall below the letter Z on the color grading scale.
The less color in a colorless diamond, the more expensive the diamond; with colored diamonds, the inverse is true.
Color is even the most essential part of a colored diamond’s worth, and hence the real diamond price.
The hue, saturation, tone, and dispersion of colored diamonds define their color.
The three following criteria are used to characterize color:
The appearance of red, blue, green, or anything in between is referred to as hue.
Tone: a color’s relative brightness or darkness.
Saturation is a color’s relative strength or weakness.
The combination of these three factors is what distinguishes a colored diamond and determines the grading it receives from diamond grading experts.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT COLOURED DIAMONDS
Red diamonds are the most expensive. This is mainly due to their rarity. Red diamonds are also distinguished from other coloured diamonds by the source of their colour.
The most affordable colored diamonds are grey, brown and fancy yellow. The rarity of the diamond along with the vividness and saturation of the colour will play also a vital role in the pricing.
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