Diamond Quality Buying Tips

If you’re unfamiliar when it comes to diamond jewelry shopping, you might be thinking about how you can get a fair price. After all, most of us are after the highest level of diamond quality at an affordable price. That’s where learning and using the four Cs comes in handy. By knowing how to evaluate diamond clarity, cut, color, and carat size, you’ll be able to make a smart buying decision.

Below are the four ratings used to establish diamond quality:

Diamond Cut - The cut of a diamond takes into account two characteristics of its appearance, the shape and make. Diamond shapes can vary quite a bit, but all things considered, a round brilliant cut is usually the most desirable. This type of cut is made with 58 facets, which gives the gem a brilliant luster. Princess, radiant and marquise cuts are also valued higher than other types of cuts.

The make of a cut determines the quality or craft of the workmanship performed on the gem. If the diamond has a better make, this means that it has greater sparkle, and the make enhances its quality. A diamond’s true beauty can be highlighted with a high quality make.

Diamond Color - Diamonds don’t just come in the sparkling clear color we all think of when we think of diamonds. And, diamonds come in a range of colors. These colors are coded alphabetically, ranging from D to X. White diamonds denoted by a D label represent the lightest color. Yellow fancy diamonds are still high quality and are given an S label. Diamond colors E and F have excellent and beautiful qualities while J to M encompass desirable colors for diamonds that are larger in size. Diamonds that are blue, red, pink, green and brown typically denote diamonds that have been treated with radiation.

Diamond Clarity - Clarity is is believed by many to be the most important component of diamond quality. The most desirable diamonds are flawless or perfectly clear, both inside and on their surfaces. Next in quality are internally flawless diamonds, but that have a few minor blemishes on the surface. If diamonds have inclusions so that they are less clear, or if the inclusions can be seen without assistance, they rank lowest for clarity.

Diamond Carat - A diamond’s carats will tell you how big it is. Of the four Cs, a diamond’s carat is considered last because a diamond’s cut, clarity and color are considered to be more important. But make no mistake, a diamond’s size and weight impacts how much you can be charged for it.

Carats are typically measured in points. Accordingly, one carat is given 100 points, while half a carat is given 50 points, and so forth. This means that a diamond’s price can vary greatly for as low as 5 to 10 points. That’s why you must know precisely how big a diamond is in exact carats and therefore points.

It’s likely you’ll find that when you take the four Cs of diamond quality into account when you shop for diamond jewelry, you’ll end up with higher quality jewelry at the most reasonable price. And, you’ll often be able to save more money by searching for used diamond jewelry since you’ll understand exactly how to inspect them.