The 4 Cs of Diamond: Best Buying Guide

Did you know that all the 4 Cs carry a different weight? You have heard about the 4 Cs of diamond buying, right?

You spend your entire school career learning about things like art history and algebra, and you think you know enough to get by. And then you are faced with buying a diamond engagement ring, and you feel like you need to go back to school. What gives?

Whether it is a 2-carat engagement ring or a 0.20-carat diamond stud, most people will buy at least one diamond in their lifetime. So why does it feel like you sometimes need a specialized degree to successfully buy a diamond? Diamond buying should not be so complicated.

In truth, it does not have to be complicated. With a small amount of perfect knowledge, you can confidently buy the best diamond for your budget.

Okay, let’s start there.

What Are the 4 Cs of Diamond Buying?

You may already know a bit about the 4 Cs of diamond , so we will keep this section brief. Here is a basic overview:

• Cut: A diamond cut is more about the facets and light distribution than it is about shape. In fact, when we talk about diamond cut, we are not talking about shape at all.
• Color: Since a diamond is a stone that is natural, it comes in many variations. Diamond does come in designer colors like Black, Yellow, and Pink, but the 4 Cs of diamond refers to the color found within the white diamonds. White diamonds can range from completely colorless to having a warm yellow or brown hue. Colorless diamonds are nowadays most valuable, but some of your choice here may be subjective.
• Carat: Some people mistakenly think that carat refers to a visible diamond size, but that is not quite true. Carat is a measure of weight along, and a diamond cut and shape can impact the appearance of size. Carat will give you an idea of size, but the surface area is the best measure of how large a diamond appears.
• Clarity: Virtually every diamond has some imperfections. Diamonds with fewer visible imperfections are rarer and more valuable than those with more visible imperfections.

Which Diamond Has the Most Sparkle?

When it comes to the part of choosing the best diamond for your budget, what most people want to know is which diamond gives the most sparkle?

Hands down, the “C” that has the most impact on the diamond sparkle is CUT.

A diamond has a property of best color and clarity, but if it is poorly cut, the diamond will appear dull.

What is Diamond Cutting?

We have mentioned that sparkle is most attributed to cut, but these two are so closely related that we can’t stress it enough. A diamond cutter’s entire goal at the time of cutting a diamond is to maximize sparkle. As such, he will cut the diamond to allow optimal light to enter the diamond table, bounce from one of its pavilions, and exit straight back through the table. Essentially, a diamond cutter goal is for all the light that enters the diamond to reflect back to the person looking at it. This is not always possible for a wide range of reasons, but that is the goal.

A diamond with a Super ideal or excellent cut has a lightest reflecting back to the eye.

Diamonds with shallow cuts allow light to exit through the bottom, and deep cuts allow light to escape from the diamond sides.

Every cut diamond falls into one of these six cut grades:

• Super Ideal Cut
• Ideal Cut
• Very Good Cut
• Good Cut
• Poor or Fair Cut
• Low Cut

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Also Read: Gold vs Platinum: Which Metal Is Best For Your Ring? 500