What We Pay

The 4C's of Diamonds

Cut

Cut is the only thing man does to a diamond to enhance its beauty. The cut of a diamond determines the proportion, symmetry and polish of a diamond and is the most relevant factor in bringing a diamond from pretty to gorgeous. Well-cut diamonds allow light to enter through the top (also known as the crown) and act as a series of perfect windows and mirrors — refracting the light to create a radiant prism of color. As the light is reflected back through the crown, it is dispersed into a luminous burst of shimmer and sparkle, enough to light up the room.

Color

The second consideration when buying a diamond is Color. Color refers to the presence or absence of an overall tint or color of a diamond. When diamonds are formed, trace elements may be trapped inside, causing a visible tint in the diamond's color.
Virtually all diamonds will have some body color; and just as you can see differences in fire, brilliance and sparkle, you can also see differences in diamond body color. The rarest diamonds are colorless and have the appearance of clear distilled water.
Thirty percent of the diamond's value is determined by color.

Clarity

Clarity is the third most important of the 4C's. Many diamonds have natural inclusions that may interfere with the clearness of a diamond. Clarity refers to the degree of those inclusions. The fewer a diamond has, the more valuable it is. Unless a diamond
has very obvious inclusions that can be seen without magnification, its beauty will not be affected. Better-cut diamonds will disperse brilliance that masks inclusions.
Twenty-five percent of the diamond's value is determined by color.

Carat

Accounting for only 5% of a diamond's value, Carat Weight applies to the actual weight of the diamond. One carat weighs 1/5 of a gram and is divided into 100 smaller units of weight called points. Hence, a 50 point diamond would be a 1/2 carat.
Only one in a million diamonds mined is able to become a 1 carat diamond or more making them more valuable.
Carat weight is truly a personal choice. It has no bearing of the quality or value of a diamond, leaving it the last of the 4C's to consider. When shopping for a diamond, keep in mind that a 1 carat diamond appears much larger on a smaller hand than it would on a larger.