The diamond is the hardest substance in nature known to man, yet it is a gemstone of the simplest composition. It is a mineral made up of carbon atoms formed into a crystalline lattice arrangement. But what are the four Cs of diamonds:
1. Cut – the cut of a diamond actually pertains to both its shape and how well the diamond is formed in relation to its proportions and polish. This factor of a diamond defers from all the others, as it is the only one that is determined by human hands. Nature is responsible for a diamond’s color, clarity and carat, but only an expert cutter can make a rough diamond achieve its most beautiful form.
2. Color – the color of a diamond varies from shades of yellow to the higher quality and more uncommon colorless types. A diamond’s color is graded, D being the highest for the perfectly colorless stones, to grade Z, which has tints of yellow in the piece. There are some that are also called fancies, available in brighter hues of blue, pink, yellow, green, purple and even red.
3. Clarity – like our own fingerprints, no two diamonds are alike. This is because diamonds have inclusions, tiny internal flaws of non-crystallized carbon that are mostly invisible to a human eye. These inclusions affect a diamond’s clarity, which is the degree in which light passes through the stone.
Blemishes can also appear after the cutting process and can affect clarity. Clarity grades range from internally flawless to imperfect.
4. Carat – pertains to a diamond’s weight and is measured in increments called points, 100 points being equal to one carat. Since larger diamonds are rare, the value of a 2-carat diamond is priced higher than that of 2 1-carat diamonds of the same quality. A diamond’s carat is the easiest to measure since it is determined on a diamond scale.
Daniel Joines is the owner Polished Diamonds. For High Quality Diamond Rings at 1/2 retail shop available at: Polished Diamonds.co.nz – The Diamond Ring Specialist in New Zealand. Search Engine Optimization by SEO Training Live