The 4 Cs

Meet The 4 C’s Of Diamond Buying

At some point in their lives almost every man or woman will look to make a diamond purchase. Men likely more so than women, although the better majority of diamond wearers are women. Regardless of the buyers sex, however, anyone who has ever shopped for a diamond knows – when it comes to buying diamonds, it’s all about the 4 C’s.

What seems at first like a pretty straight-forward process quickly turns into a project in itself, a study of diamonds and diamond quality. And ironically, enough, it is not at all uncommon for the man to come out of the experience knowing more about the girl’s best friend than his love ever knew because undoubtedly, if he shopped a reputable diamond jeweler, he learned a little something about the 4 C’s.

There’s much to be said for honing up on a little 4 C education before you start shopping for diamonds. Knowing about the 4 C’s beforehand helps you decipher when you are dealing with a reputable, knowledgeable diamond retailer. Knowing about the 4 C’s when shopping online is especially valuable, as you don’t usually have the advantage of a well versed diamond dealer at your direct disposal.

The 4 C’s of diamonds serve a greater purpose beyond consumer education, however. The 4 C's are an industry standard. Diamonds are graded according to the 4 C’s, and by knowing how to read the 4 C’s, a customer can learn what qualities are more desirable, and what acceptable “flaws” (if a diamond has such a thing) can bring a very nice diamond into a purchaser’s price range.

What are The 4 C’s of diamond purchasing?

• Cut
Diamond cut can be complex, but simply stated, diamond cut matters for two reasons. The first is because the cut of the diamond heavily impacts the brilliance of the diamond. The second reason Cut matters is because diamond lovers have their favorite diamond shapes; before you buy, you’ll want to know what you and/or your recipient loves most in the shape of a diamond.
• Clarity
Flaws in a diamond occur naturally when the diamond was formed. Jewelers and gemologists call these inclusions. Inclusions bear on the determination of a diamond’s clarity. The number, size, and visibility of inclusions in a diamond effect this determination.
• Color
Unless shopping for a fancy color diamond, the lack of color is actually what you seek in a diamond. The color grading of the 4 C’s translates into how clear (hence, desirable) a diamond is. Colorless diamonds refract light better, whereas off-white diamonds absorb the color more and so sparkle a little less.
• Carat
Diamond size is measured by carat weight. Small diamonds are not entirely uncommon in nature, but large diamonds are. Hence, the bigger the diamond (the greater carat weight it has), the more valuable the diamond. However, carat is just one factor in determining a diamond’s worth; a smaller, cleaner, diamond can be far more valuable than a large, more flawed gem. That is why the grading system exists – a means to even out the diamond playing field and determine standard worth.

The 4 C’s cover the most essential details of diamond buying. The 4 C’s are the first thing diamond buyers need to know before settling on the right diamond purchase. Discussed herein is just the beginning of the 4 C’s of diamond buying. To understand more about purchasing diamonds and diamond value, read on to learn the details of each of the 4 C’s.