What should you be looking
for and how do you know it is the real thing?
The 4Cs - Your
guide to buying diamonds
Many
people are confused about how diamonds are priced.
The best explanation is that asking for the price of
a diamond is like asking for the price of a house.
A real estate agent can't quote you a price for a house
without knowing its size, condition, location, etc.
This process is the same one used when buying a diamond.
A diamond's beauty, rarity, and price depend on the
interplay of all the 4C's
- cut, clarity, carat, and colour.
The 4Cs are used throughout
the world to classify the rarity of diamonds. Diamonds
with the combination of the highest 4C ratings are more
rare and, consequently, more expensive. No one C is more
important than another in terms of beauty and it is important
to note that each of the 4Cs will not diminish in value
over time.
Once you have established
those 4C characteristics that are most important to you,
we can then begin to show you various options and prices.
Carat
Refers to the weight of
a diamond.
Carat is often confused
with size even though it is actually a measure of weight.
One carat is equivalent to 200 milligrams. One carat
can also be divided into 100 "points." A .75
carat diamond is the same as a 75-points or 3/4 carat
diamond.
A 1-carat diamond costs
exactly twice the price of a half-carat diamond, right?
Wrong. Since larger diamonds are found less frequently
in nature, which places them at the rarest level of the
Diamond Quality Pyramid, a 1-carat diamond will cost
more than twice a 1/2-carat diamond (assuming colour,
clarity and cut remain constant).
Clarity
Refers to the presence
of inclusions in a diamond.
Inclusions are natural
identifying characteristics such as minerals or fractures,
appearing while diamonds are formed in the earth. They
may look like tiny crystals, clouds or feathers.
The position of inclusions
can affect the value of a diamond. There are very few
flawless diamonds found in nature, thus these diamonds
are much more valuable.
Inclusions are ranked
on a scale of perfection, known as clarity, which was
established by the Gemmological Institute of America
(GIA). The clarity scale, ranging from F (Flawless) to
Included (I), is based on the visibility of inclusions
at a magnification of 10x.
The greater a diamond's
clarity, the more brilliant, valuable and rare it is
- and the higher it is on the Diamond Quality Pyramid.
Colour
Refers to the degree
to which a diamond is colourless.
Diamonds range in colour
from icy winter whites to warm summer whites. Diamonds
are graded on a colour scale established by the Gemmological
Institute of America (GIA) which ranges from D (colourless)
to Z.
Warmer coloured diamonds
(K-Z) are particularly desirable when set in yellow gold.
Icy winter whites (D-J) look stunning set in white gold
or platinum.
Colour differences
are very subtle and it is very difficult to see the difference
between, say, an E and an F. Therefore, colours are graded
under controlled lighting conditions and are compared
to a master set for accuracy.
Truly colourless stones,
graded D, treasured for their rarity, are highest on
the Diamond Quality Pyramid. Colour, however, ultimately
comes down to personal taste. We can show you a variety
of colour grades next to one another to help you determine
your colour preference.
Cut
Refers to the angles and
proportions of a diamond.
Based on scientific
formulas, a well-cut diamond will internally reflect
light from one mirror-like facet to another and disperse
and reflect it through the top of the stone. This results
in a display of brilliance and fire, thereby placing
well-cut diamonds higher on the Diamond Quality Pyramid
than deep or shallow-cut diamonds. Diamonds that are
cut too deep or too shallow lose or leak light through
the side or bottom, resulting in less brilliance and
ultimately, value.
Cut also refers to
the shape of the diamond e.g. round, square, pear, or
heart, etc. Since a round diamond is symmetrical and
capable of reflecting nearly all the light that enters,
it is the most brilliant of all diamond shapes and follows
specific proportional guidelines.
What to Spend
When you start to
think about buying a diamond - and the love it will symbolize
- you naturally want the best you can afford and a beautiful
stone you will treasure forever.
Certificates
All diamonds and tanzanites
are sold with a certificate proving that the characteristics
of the stone i.e the 4C's are determined by a registered
diamond and tanzanite laboratory confirming that they
are accurate and real.
 
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