 |
|
|
The Four C’s, Diamond Cut, Colour, Clarity & Carat Weight
|
|
|
|
|
Diamonds Characteristics: Cut
Four factors that are considered when judging a diamond's quality and cost are: the diamond's colour, its clarity, diamond cut, and carat weight. These four elements are known as the Four C's. This library teaches you what you need to know about the Four C's.
|
|
The cut of a diamond is not its shape, which may be round, rectangular, marquise, drop or even heart shape. When we talk about cut, we mean how close the master cutter has come to ideal proportions. The mathematical relationships of Facets that unlocks the hidden fire.
|
How a Diamond handles light
The cut enables a diamond to make the best use of light. When a diamond is cut to good proportions, light is reflected from one facet to another and dispersed through the top of the stone. If the cut of the diamond is too deep, some light escapes through the opposite side of the pavilion. If the cut is too shallow, light escapes through the pavilion before it can be reflected.
|
|
Diamonds Characteristics:Colour
The best colour is no colour at all.The grading for a stone without any colour, is grade D on the GIA scale, or "Exceptional White+" on the CIBJO scale. Such a stone is extremely rare. It will be very difficult for the unskilled eye to detect any colour difference in the top five grades, and if the stone is viewed through the table (i.e through the top of the stone) in a mounted ring, it will be impossible even for experts to differentiate between these grades without a master set for comparison. The closer a diamond is to being absolutely colourless, the more valuable it will be.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Colour
|
GIA Scale
|
Description
|
AGS
|
CIBJO
|
|
|
D
|
Colourless
|
0
|
Exceptional White +
|
|
|
E
|
|
1
|
Exceptional White
|
|
|
F
|
|
2
|
Rare White +
|
|
|
G
|
Near Colourless
|
3
|
Rare White
|
|
|
H
|
|
4
|
White
|
|
|
I
|
|
5
|
Slightly Tinted White
|
|
|
J
|
|
|
|
|
|
K
|
Faint Colour
|
6
|
Tinted White
|
|
|
L
|
|
|
|
|
|
M
|
|
|
|
|
|
N
|
Very Light Yellow
|
|
|
|
|
O
|
|
8
|
|
|
|
P
|
|
|
|
|
|
Q
|
|
|
|
|
|
R
|
|
9
|
|
|
|
S
|
Light Yellow
|
|
|
|
|
T
|
|
|
|
|
|
U
|
|
|
|
|
|
V
|
|
10
|
|
|
|
W
|
|
|
|
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y
|
|
|
|
|
|
Z
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diamonds Characteristics: Clarity
A diamond, more than any other gemstone, has the capability to produce the maximum amount of brilliance. The highest quality of diamond is virtually free of interior inclusions and external features of crystallisation, is one of the highest quality, for nothing else interferes with the passage of light through the diamond. To determine a diamond's clarity, it is viewed under 10 x magnification by a trained eye. Minute inclusions neither mar its beauty nor endanger its durability, but of course the fewer they have, the rarer the stone.
Only a very small percentage of diamonds sold are in the grades of VS1 and above. The vast majority are within grades SI1-P3
|
|
|
|
|
|
Colour
|
Code
|
Meaning
|
Inclusion Visability
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IF
|
Internally flawless
|
|
|
1F
|
Flawless, minor surface blemishes
|
|
|
VVS1
|
Very, very small inclusions
|
Inclusions only visible when magnified ten times
|
|
VVS2
|
|
|
VS1
|
Very small inclusions
|
|
VS2
|
|
|
SI1
|
|
|
SI2
|
Small Inclusions
|
|
|
P1
|
Inclusions visible to the naked eye
|
|
P2
|
|
|
P3
|
Inclusions visible to the naked eye
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diamonds Characteristics: Carats
Diamonds and other gemstones are weighed in metric carats: (Don’t confuse carat with karat, as in “18K gold,” which refers to gold purity.)
One carat is equivalent to 0.2 grams. Within the trade, one carat is divided into one hundred units called points; a stone weighing 0.64 carats would be referred to as a '64 pointer'. It is vitally important to take into account all four C's when choosing your diamond. Larger doesn't necessarily mean better. A large stone will not be very valuable if it is cut badly or is of a low grade colour.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diamonds
|
Weight (Carats)
|
Diameter (Millimetres)
|
|
|
0.01
|
1.3
|
|
|
0.02
|
1.7
|
|
|
0.03
|
2.0
|
|
|
0.04
|
2.3
|
|
|
0.05
|
2.4
|
|
|
0.10
|
3.0
|
|
|
0.15
|
3.4
|
|
|
0.20
|
3.8
|
|
|
0.25
|
4.2
|
|
|
0.30
|
4.4
|
|
|
0.33
|
4.5
|
|
|
0.35
|
4.6
|
|
|
0.40
|
4.8
|
|
|
0.45
|
5.0
|
|
|
0.50
|
5.2
|
|
|
0.55
|
5.4
|
|
|
0.60
|
5.5
|
|
|
0.65
|
5.7
|
|
|
0.70
|
5.8
|
|
|
0.75
|
5.9
|
|
|
0.80
|
6.1
|
|
|
0.90
|
6.3
|
|
|
1.00
|
6.5
|
|
|
1.25
|
7.0
|
|
|
1.50
|
7.5
|
|
|
1.75
|
7.9
|
|
|
2.00
|
8.2
|
|
|
2.50
|
8.9
|
|
|
3.00
|
9.4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Customer Testimonials
|
|
|
|
|
| Julie and Mike Royton, Oldham. | |
Thank you very much for designing my beautiful Diamond engagement ring and Wedding ring. Your ever friendly professional attention is second to none, All my friends and work colleagues have commented on how lovely and different they are.
Thank you for an excellent service as always. | |
|
| Mrs E.M. Walker. Chadderton, Oldham. | | Dear Harvey,
Thanks you so much for making a unique and original bangle from my obsolete gold jewellery.
The ruby and diamond gem stones are exquisite and complement the design of the bangle so well. It is always a pleasurable experience dealing with you and your staff at the Middleton shop and I thank you again for the patience and courtesy you have extended to myself and my husband Dave, on our numerous visits.
Yours sincerely.
Mrs. E.M. Walker.
| |
|
| Shirley Bryce, Mc IA (Dip) Financial Adviser. | | Dearr Harvey,
I am writing today to thank you for helping me finally choose my diamond ring. The diamond is beautiful and I appreciate your expert advice and the care you took while I was choosing my diamond ring from the vast selection you offered me.
As you know, I had been looking for a while and had visited many Jewellers. I am so glad I found your shop. I will definitely recommend you to all my friends and colleagues.
Regards
Shirley
| |
|
| Mrs. B Bell. Florist, Manchester. | | Thanks to you all at Harvey's the Jewellers for the wonderful service and friendly advice I have received over the years.
You all treat me like a close friend and at all times are most helpful and courteous. I have run a busy business myself for nearly 30 years and I can honesty say I have never received service anywhere else to the standards shown at Harvey's the Jewellers. Nothing is ever too much trouble; it really is a pleasure to shop at Harvey'sthe Jewellers.
Thank you once again. | |
|
| Helen Hern. Wirral, Cheshire. | | Dear Harvey
You have made me very happy as I now have a bangle made up from both my and my mother's jewellery. The service I received from yourself and your colleagues was well worth the trips from the Wirral. Everyone admires the bangle and I get comments whenever I wear it. I cannot thank you enough for your kindness and expertise in making the bangle.
Many thanks again.
Helen | |
|
| Susan & Paul Co. Durham. | | I know you won't expect my thanks because it is natural for you to offer the service. However, I really do appreciate the job you did re-designing my diamond ring.
Susan. | |
|
| Robert & Ellie Jones. 14 Place Lonfemelle, Geneva Switzerland. | | I am writing to thank you and your design team for the wonderful job they did in designing and making our wedding rings. All our family and friends in Switzerland have commented how beautiful the rings are. It was a pleasure as always doing business with you in Manchester. | |
|
| Jean Earl. Bungower Road, Mornington Victoria, Australia. | | I love wearing the shaped diamond wedding ring you made for me. It looks beautiful and fits perfectly against my engagement ring. I am so glad I discovered your business through your Web Site. I have recommended you to all my friends in Australia and some are going to visit your shop next year when they visit England. | |
|
| Ian and Jane McLachlan. Island Village, Sedgefield, Western Cape, South Africa. | | Harvey,
My wife is absolutely delighted with the diamond eternity ring you designed for her, people come to South Africa to buy diamond jewellery, I personally will always shop at Harveys when I am in the UK. | |
|
| David & Kate Wilkinson. East 72 Street, NewYork New York. | | My wife is delighted with the platinum diamond eternity ring your workshop produced. You were the only jeweller who could hand make this article to the exact specification as my wife Grandmothers original ring.
Thank you again for your attentive and enthusiastic service. | |
|
| Paul Hamlett. Sheikh Zayed. Cairo Egypt. | | My wife has really enjoyed wearing the diamond earings I purchased from your Manchester store.
There are many jewellers in Cairo. However, I can assure you my wife and I will always shop at Harvey's The Jewellers whenever we are in the north of England.
| |
|
|
|
Company Testimonials
|
|
|
