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TECHNICAL INFORMATION: THE 4 CS
Diamonds are priced according to
4 major factors.
Carat Weight - Carat weight represents the size of the diamond.
Obviously, the larger the diamond (quality for quality) the more expensive it will be. The
weight of a diamond is measured in carats. One carat is divided into 100 parts called
"points". 1 ct. = 1.00 ½ ct. = 0.50 The value of two diamonds the same weight
can vary greatly depending on the color, clarity, and cut.

Color The best color for a diamond is no color or colorless.
The colors that take away value are slight tints of yellow or brown. Diamonds come in all
the colors of the rainbow. Intense natural diamond colors are very rare and very valuable.
For most jewelry the best diamonds are in the near colorless range.

- Clarity
Practically all diamonds contain naturally occurring internal
characteristics called inclusions. These inclusions, except for in imperfect stones, are
typically invisible to the naked eye. They are, however, determined and graded under
10x-power magnification. The size, nature, location and amount of inclusions determine a
diamonds clarity grade and affect its cost.

Cut In 1919 a famed Belgian diamond cutter named Marcel
Tolkowsky designed, what he considered to be, the "ideal" diamond cut. He
considered his cut "ideal" because of the way it captured the diamond features
of brilliance and dispersion. The cut was later named the American Ideal Cut because
American cutters were the first to use it. Tolkowskys cut makes a beautiful round
diamond; however, there are many variations that make equally beautiful diamonds. One of
the most popular variations is a larger table, which returns greater brilliance to the
eye. The goal of all good diamond cutters is to create a beautiful diamond that reacts
with light in a harmonious balance between the diamonds proportions and the display of
brilliance and dispersion. Tolkowskys American Cut relates only to round diamonds.
Marquise, pears, ovals, emerald cuts, princess, heart, etc. obviously have completely
different proportions.
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