The "4Cs"
You have probably heard before of the famous 4 C's of diamonds... but what are they? The 4 C's are the basic assessment method for the quality of diamonds.
The 4 C's include Cut, Color, Carat Weight, and Clarity.
Cut
A diamond's cut is the most essential component of a diamond's quality if you want to ensure that the stone has the most "sparkle", or fire and scintillation. The cut takes into account the diamond's proportions and finish, which includes its shape too. There are ten modern fancy cut shapes in the market, which are: round brilliant, cushion, heart, pear, oval, radiant, marquise, emerald, asscher, and princess. Cut is graded from Poor to Excellent, and Excellent is really the grade you want to look for to maximize the beauty of a diamond's fire.
Color
The industry grades a diamond on a color scale that goes from D-Z. A colorless diamond is considered a D color, and as you go down the alphabet, you will find yellow and brown tones intensifying on each stone. This component of a diamond's quality is one of the most important ones when looking to purchase a diamond.
Carat Weight
Carat is the unit of weight of diamonds. 1 carat is the equivalent to 200 milligrams, and a diamond weighing this is usually about 6.5mm in diameter (for a round brilliant). The carat weight is read to the hundreds, whether it is 0.01cts or 5.98cts. The price of a diamond does not increase proportionally to its weight though, it is exponential due to the rarity of large stones.
Clarity
Clarity is the number of impurities that a gemstone has. This is probably the most complex of the four as each imperfection of the stone is completely unique, like a birthmark. The number of inclusions that a stone has in the stone and the number of blemishes on the stone will determine its degree of clarity; and whether you can see them under magnification or not. Clarity levels go from Flawless to Included, passing by Internally Flawless, Very Very Slightly Included, Very Slighted Included, and Slightly Included.
Out of these four, I would suggest to compromise on clarity. Up to Slightly Included, you will not be able to see inclusions or blemishes unless looking at the stone under 10x magnification, meaning that it is "eye clean". On the other hand, try to select Excellent cut diamonds because their quality will be impeccable, and their fire and brilliance will overpower the "size" or color of any stone. On a final note, be EDUCATED and find a reputable seller so you know about the purchase you are making and so that you get the best value for your money.
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