Just like the school and college grading system, diamonds too have a grading system, one that helps determine how much you will pay for it. The 4 C’s helps to grade a diamond, which in turn determines the cost of the diamond. You need to know about these to make a more informed choice next time you go to a jeweller or visit the Best Online Fashionable Artificial Jewellery website for buying diamond jewellery. 

So let’s get right into it.

The first C- Carat Weight

You’re probably already aware of it or have at least heard this term. Diamonds are measured based on their weight, like gold, silver, etc., and not by their size. Carat is the unit of weight to measure the weight of the gemstones, including diamonds.

1 unit of carat equals 200 milligrams.

Each carat is further divided into 100 points, to get precise and accurate measures up to the hundredth decimal. A diamond weighing less than 1 carat is usually described in terms of its points instead of carats. For eg, a diamond weighing 0.60 carats will be described as a 60 pointer. 

Carat is an important factor in determining the value of the diamond. The price of a diamond increases with diamond carat weight, but that doesn’t mean that the larger the diamond, the costlier it will be. Remember, the heavier the diamond the costlier it will be.

The second C- Colour

You’re mistaken if you think diamonds are always colourless. Diamonds often have a slight hue, which might be unnoticeable. Colour variations are a result of a change in temperature, pressure, etc. that occurred during the formation of these stones. Now, what is obvious is that colourless or almost colourless diamonds are more sought after, rare and obviously more expensive.

Diamonds are measured on a graded scale. These being

While the diamond is graded and might have a hue, the colour might appear different depending on the cut, shape and carat weight of the diamond. Thus the grade isn’t all that defines how a diamond appears.

Another thing to note is that while diamonds are usually thought of as colourless and are valued based on that, there are specific colour diamonds that are graded differently, for instance, the green or pink coloured diamonds. 

The third C- Clarity

Clarity here refers to the purity of the Diamond. Basically how clear the diamond is when seen by the naked eye. Clearer the diamond, the more expensive it will be, because these are highly sought after and rare. Diamonds are not always crystal clear; they might have blemishes- marks on the surface of the diamond incurred during the formation of the stone - and inclusion- marks within the diamond also incurred during the formation of the stone.

Diamonds are graded based on the visibility of these blemishes or inclusions when looked through the naked eye and a magnifying glass that magnifies the stone by 10 times. Following are the grades usually assigned to diamonds-

The fourth C- Cut

Out of the 4 C’s, the cut is the only one that is not formed during the formation of the diamond.  When extracted diamonds are rough edgy pieces, these are cut and shaped to precise facets- the tiny polished faces, by the cutter or jeweller. The diamond is cut taking into account the angles, symmetrical facets, proportions, etc. The cut affects how well the diamond transmits light. 

The diamond cut is graded by GIA from Ideal, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. Descending in the order of how much light is transmitted resulting from a precise cut based on angels, proportions, facets, etc. The cut of the ring is what you should be after because this is what makes the diamond beautiful. A well-cut diamond will reflect more light and look more attractive even if it has little blemishes, whereas a not so well-cut diamond will look dull. To put it simply, the cut is what makes the diamond look good.  

Thus when buying a diamond do keep in mind that a specific diamond might not grade high on any one of the 4 C’s but because of the cut, clarity, colour and carat weight of that diamond, the diamond might appear more expensive and better than the grade assigned because every shortcoming of that particular diamond might come together to give a unique look and shine to it.  And if you're just starting to collect jewellery and not ready to invest a hefty amount in diamonds, I recommend you to check out the Latest Indian Artificial Jewellery Designs, it’ll give you a good start in the jewellery world.