One of the most common questions we receive from our Gary Michaels customers is, "How does one select the perfect diamond?" In order to answer this intricate question, we must refer to the Gemological Association of America's diamond grading system. In the 1940s and 1950s, GIA developed a universal diamond grading system that is still in use today. This system determines diamond quality based on the "4C's": color, clarity, cut, and carat.
Color:
Diamond color is all about colorlessness. According to GIA, diamonds are valued by how closely they approach colorlessness, which means that the less color, the higher the value. GIA’s color-grading scale is the standard. The scale begins with the letter D, representing colorless, and continues to the letter Z, or near-colorless. Each letter grade has a clearly defined range of color appearance.
Clarity:
Diamond clarity refers to the absense of blemishes or inclusions within the diamond. According to GIA, diamonds without inclusions/blemishes are very rare, and rarity affects a diamond’s value. Using the GIA International Diamond Grading System, diamonds are assigned a clarity grade that ranges from flawless (FL) to diamonds with obvious inclusions (I3).
Color:
Diamond color is all about colorlessness. According to GIA, diamonds are valued by how closely they approach colorlessness, which means that the less color, the higher the value. GIA’s color-grading scale is the standard. The scale begins with the letter D, representing colorless, and continues to the letter Z, or near-colorless. Each letter grade has a clearly defined range of color appearance.
Clarity:
Diamond clarity refers to the absense of blemishes or inclusions within the diamond. According to GIA, diamonds without inclusions/blemishes are very rare, and rarity affects a diamond’s value. Using the GIA International Diamond Grading System, diamonds are assigned a clarity grade that ranges from flawless (FL) to diamonds with obvious inclusions (I3).
Cut:
The cut is responsible for a diamond's fire (the dispersion of light into the colors of the spectrum), brilliance (the total light reflected from a diamond), and scintillation (the flashes of light, or sparkle, when a diamond is moved). GIA released a diamond cut grading guide in 2005 that explains cut significance, click here for more information.
Carat:
Diamonds and other gemstones are weighed in metric carats: one carat is equal to 0.2 grams. According to GIA, two diamonds of equal weight can have very different values depending on the other members of the Four C’s: clarity, color and cut. However, in general, the higher the carat, the higher the value.
Check out this informative GIA video on how to buy a diamond!!!
Credit: This information was acquired from the Gemological Insititute of America, Inc. website.
Credit: This information was acquired from the Gemological Insititute of America, Inc. website.
Really a very nice post! It’s something I have never thought about, really, but it makes a whole lot of sense. Thanks for sharing the valuable information regarding diamond engagement ring.
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