What to Look For in Diamonds Learn the 4C’s

Before you purchase a diamond, it is important to understand what you need to look for so you will make the right choice when buying and choosing your diamond. Knowing the 4C’s will definitely help you pick a diamond that will be of the quality and cost you wish.

1^st C: Cut

The cut of the diamond will dictate how the diamond handle’s light; the better cut, the most brilliant the diamond.  It can be hard to measure the brilliance of a diamond as it is based on a number of factors including depth %, table %, girdle thickness, cutlet size, polish, symmetry and florescence. Diamonds for sale are generally described as ideal, premium and good cuts. Ideal cut is the most sought after cut  and therefore, ideal cut diamonds are more expensive.

2^nd C: Color

The color of the diamond can range from colourless, to slightly yellow or to brown. Diamond color grade ranges from D to Z, where D is colourless and Z has the most colour. Diamonds in the range to D to F are known as colourless, from G to J are near colourless, K to M have a faint yellow tint, N to R have a very light yellow tint and S to Z are light yellow. A diamond with colour level D is considered the most valuable colour grade of diamonds as it is completely colorless. The more colorless the diamond, the more expensive it is.

3^rd C: Clarity

Clarity is the degree in which the diamond is free of blemishes or inclusions. The fewer and less obvious inclusions increases the clarity of the diamond. Clarity is based on a grading scale which ranges from F to I3. Clarity F is a flawless diamond which shows no inclusions at 10X magnification. The second best clarity IF is internally flawless; however has some external blemishes. The next level in clarity is VVSI and VVS2 where the diamond would have very, very slight inclusions which are difficult to see under magnification.  Clarity VSI and VS2 diamonds would have very slight inclusions that can be seen with effort at 10X magnification. Clarity SI1 and SI2 diamonds have slight inclusions which are obviously visible at 10X magnification and may be seen by the nakad eye. Clarity I1, I2 and I3 diamonds have inclusions that are visible by the nakad eye allowing a larger diamond to be purchased at a lower price. Therefore, the closer the clarity is to F on the grade scale, the higher the price of the diamond.

4^th C: Carat

Carat pertains to the weight of the diamond. This is the easiest choice so far, but the size of the diamond you want may be compromised if you are looking for a diamond close to ideal cut, D colour and F clarity.

It is also important to ensure your diamond is certified.  A certified diamond is guaranteed and the certification verifies the diamond identity and value.

Knowing your stuff when it comes to diamonds will allow you to pick the ideal diamond that works with you and your budget. You can purchase diamonds from jewelry retailers or diamond dealers or you can even buy your diamond from an online jewelry store. There are many trusted online jewelry stores that sell top of the line certified diamonds and diamond jewelry at great prices. Some the most respected diamond jewelers include Ice.com, BlueNile.com and Diamond.com. All of these online jewelry stores release coupon codes so you can save up to 20% on your online order! Get the best Ice.com coupon code, Blue Nile coupon codes and Diamond.com coupon code at Coupon Gravy!

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