The WoW Style

Diamonds have been dazzling us ever since they were discovered. But we often find ourselves clueless when it comes to choosing a diamond ring for ourselves. To a common man, all diamonds might look the same but only experienced eyes are able to look through the sparkle and reveal whether the diamond is really worth the value it is being sold for. So, before you go for buying any diamond jewellery, know what you should be looking for. Let’s simplify the diamonds for you. In the case of diamonds, it all comes down to the basic 4 Cs. Let’s have a look at each one of them.

Colour

It might come as a shock, but diamonds, by themselves have no colour. The best diamonds are colourless. As for the colour that exists, it is due to some impurity. Diamond colour is classified by professionals who are certified by various gem certification organizations. Diamonds are graded on a scale that goes from D to Z. Grading is done by looking at it through the naked eye, with the stone placed on a bright white background.

Grades D-F Diamonds belonging to this category are considered colourless and are the most sought after.

Grades G-J diamonds are considered near-colourless.
Grades K-M diamonds are categorized to be faint yellow.
Grades N-R Diamonds in this group are said to be very light yellow.
Grades S-Z diamonds are considered light yellow.

If you want to look for a white diamond, try to look for a diamond in the D-I range. An H or an I category diamond won’t look too much different from a D, but its price would be a lot less and thus easy on the pocket.

Clarity

Clarity refers to the external and internal visual characteristics of a diamond which are commonly known as blemishes and inclusions. It is graded under (10x) magnification, though some clarity characteristics in the lower grades of diamonds can be visible to the naked eye. Usually, the blemishes or inclusions consist of crystals or bubbles, fissures, or other imperfections. According to clarity, diamonds are categorized into these groups:

FL — IF: Flawless — Internally Flawless. The diamonds falling in this category are considered the best. The rarest diamonds have no inclusions or blemishes visible even to a trained eye with 10x magnification. These are exceptionally rare and expensive.

VVS1 — VVS2: Very, Very Slightly Included. Diamonds in this category do have blemishes but these are usually invisible to common eyes. Inclusions of this grade are very difficult to see by a trained grader under magnification.

VS1 — VS2: Very Slightly Included. In these diamonds, inclusions are difficult to see with the naked eye but can be easily seen when magnified.

SI1 — SI2: In these diamonds, inclusions are easily visible under 10x magnification.

I1 — 13: Included. Irregularities in the diamond are easily visible to the naked eye. Diamond appearance is highly affected.

Cut

The cut is probably the most important C of a diamond. It is the cut of the diamond which gives the stone its scintillation and fire. It is the quality of cut that makes it sparkle and explode with prismatic colour. Even a stone with relatively mediocre colour and low clarity can be brought to life by an expert cutter.

In a proper, well-cut diamond, light enters the top and exits from the top too, like it is absorbing light and spitting it back out in fireworks. In diamonds that are cut too shallow or too deep, the light bleeds out the bottom and sides of the diamond. Failing to exit from the top, the light exiting this way, makes the diamond look smaller, darker, and dull. There are three grades for the cut of a diamond. They are: Ideal, Excellent, and Very Good.

Carat

Carat weight is usually the most misunderstood component of a diamond. People often confuse that a diamond of higher carat must be of exceptional quality. Carat, simply, is a unit of weight measurement. One carat is equal to one-fifth of a gram (.20g). Carat has nothing to do with the sparkle of a diamond. It only determines the size and weight of the diamond. It should be kept in mind that out of all the numbers in diamonds, carat weight has the least effect on how a diamond will actually look.

While buying diamonds rings, make sure it’s the clearest, best cut, and most colourless stone you can afford. Balance among all the Cs is the key.