The Four Cs of Buying the Right Diamond: Carat

Carat is a term with which most people are familiar, but do you know why you pay more for a higher carat diamond? It’s because carat is a measure of weight. One carat is equal to 200 milligrams, and the larger the diamond, the greater the value.

As with the other three Cs, however, carat alone does not determine a diamond’s worth. Two diamonds of equal weight may be vastly different in price due to their cut, color, and clarity

Standards exist for determining current value of a diamond based on the four Cs:

Rapaport Diamond Report

This weekly report is given to diamond merchants and jewelers to set prices for consumers. It is used in the US and abroad but is not always accurate.

IDEX

The International Diamond Exchange came out with their own pricing list in the 2000s. It is also published weekly and is based on price changes reflected by global trade on IDEX’s trading platform.

Interested in learning more about diamonds and other jewelry-related topics? Follow our blog, or pop in the store at 4914 N. Broadway, Suite B, Knoxville, TN

The Four Cs of Buying the Right Diamond: Color

In the realm of white diamonds, “color” is more like the absence of color. A higher-grade diamond would be totally colorless, where the next highest would have a slight trace of color, and so on. The more colorless the diamond, the more colorful the spectrum of light reflected by the diamond.

Diamonds can be graded anywhere from D to Z, generally by the amount of yellowish or brownish tint detected in the diamond. Those with rarer and more intense coloring, however, such as intense pink or blue or even bright yellow, can actually be worth more than a standard “white” diamond.

*Rarer, in higher demand, more expensive

 Interested in learning more about diamonds and other jewelry-related topics? Follow our blog, or pop in the store at 4914 N. Broadway, Suite B, Knoxville, TN! One of our expert jewelers will be available to answer any questions you might have.

The Four Cs of Buying the Right Diamond: Clarity

Clarity is defined as: a measure of internal defects of a diamond called inclusions. These inclusions can be foreign materials or structural imperfections and are generally graded by what is visible to a jeweler at 10x magnification.

Many of the diamonds mined today aren’t considered acceptable for use as a gemstone; only 20% make the cut, so to speak, and the rest are consigned to industrial use.

Clarity can range from flawless (perfect) to I (included). Below are explanations for each of the ranking levels, as standardized by certification societies.

Have questions about the clarity of a piece you already own (or a jewelry item on our site)? Give us a call at 865-686-0502!