Although the history of diamond use by humans dates back to ancient times, until the 20th century there was no agreed-upon standard by which this exceptional gemstone could be evaluated. It was only in the 1950s that the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) – a world authority in the field of gemstones – created the first, and currently globally accepted, standard for describing diamonds, which is based on four values: Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carat Weight, which is also calledusing the 4C method of diamond qualityCreating the 4C standard meant two very important things: the quality of diamonds could be communicated and preserved in a universal language, and diamond customers could from then on know exactly what they intended to buy.
COLOR
The assessment of a diamond’s color is primarily based on its absence. Chemically pure and structurally perfect diamond has no hue, like a drop of pure water, and consequently, the less color a diamond has, the higher its value. Colorless (white) diamonds, however, are very rare, practically non-existent, and those that we superficially assess as colorless still have slight tints, which are influenced by the presence of other elements in the diamond’s crystal lattice, such as nitrogen, manganese, or boron.
For color grading, GIA created a scale that is most commonly used in the jewelry industry. The scale starts with the letter D, which denotes the absence of color, with increasing presence of color up to the letter Z (D-to-Z).
The diamond color scale is described as follows:
D, E, F – colorless
G, H, I, J – near colorless
K, L, M – slightly yellow
N, O, P, Q, R – light yellow
S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z – yellow
The diamond color grading system measures the degree of colorlessness by comparing the stone under controlled lighting and precise viewing conditions to reference stones of established color value. Many of these differences in diamond color are so subtle that they are invisible to an untrained eye. An experienced gemologist is needed to accurately determine the difference, as it ultimately affects the value and price of the stone.
CLARITY
Natural diamonds are formed when a carbon element is exposed to enormous heat and pressure deep within the earth. The crystallization process can result in various internal features, called “inclusions” (impurities), and external features, called “blemishes.” GIA has created a scale with 6 categories, some of which have been further divided to create a total of 11 individual clarity classes.
Again, an experienced gemologist is needed to properly determine the clarity grade, as most people will not be able to see some of the inclusions or blemishes without using a loupe with at least 10x magnification. The gemologist will take into account the size of the diamond in relation to the density, distribution, and size of the blemishes and inclusions to precisely determine the clarity grade.
While no diamond is chemically perfectly pure, too many inclusions reduce the level of sparkle and significantly affect the transparency of the stone, causing improper refraction of light entering the diamond.
Clarity grading categories:
LC/FL – (Loupe Clean, Free of Inclusions/Flawless) No inclusions and blemishes visible under 10x magnification
VVS1, VVS2 ((Very, Very Small Inclusions) Inclusions so minute that they are difficult to detect by a trained gemologist under 10x magnification
VS1, VS2 (Very Small Inclusions) – Very minor inclusions, visible with effort under 10x magnification
SI – (Small Inclusions) Inclusions are easily noticeable under 10x magnification
P1, P2, P3(Inclusions) – lowest grade stones. Inclusions are immediately noticeable under 10x magnification, as well as to the naked eye.
CUT
According to many jewelers, the cut is probably the most important aspect of a diamond’s quality, which affects its beauty. The cut specifically refers to the quality and precision of the diamond’s cutting. Only a perfect cut guarantees that the stone’s fire is brought out and light is ideally reflected from the facets. All diamonds will have some ‘sparkle,’ but the better the cut, the more sparkle the diamond will have. Of all the C qualities of a diamond, this is the most complex and technically difficult parameter to analyze.
How does the GIA assign a cut grade to a diamond?
GIA evaluates a diamond cut based on seven elements – brightness, fire, scintillation, weight proportions, durability, polish, and symmetry – to achieve a GIA diamond cut grade, which ranges from Excellent to Poor.
Scale:
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Fair
Poor
The grade is determined based on the lowest grade that the diamond receives for five of the seven components. In other words, if a diamond receives a poor grade for clarity, then the highest grade for cut may be a poor grade. An exception is polish and symmetry, which are assessed using the standard GIA methodology: A diamond with very good polish and/or symmetry can, for example, receive an excellent grade.
Most commonly used cuts in jewelry
1. Brilliant Cut (round)
2. Pear Cut (or drop, teardrop)
3. Marquise Cut
4. Oval Cut
5. Princess Cut (square)
6. Emerald Cut
7. Heart Cut
8. Baguette Cut
9. Trillion Cut
10. Asscher Cut
11. Radiant Cut
12. Trapezoid Cut
CARAT WEIGHT
Often, when people hear the term “carat weight,” they think it refers to the size of a diamond, when in reality it refers to its weight. The mass of diamonds is given in metric carats, with one carat (ct) having a mass of 200 milligrams. Its name comes from the seeds of the carob tree (Latin: Ceratonia siliqua), which are very uniform and, when dried, have the same weight – 0.2 g. Thanks to this, as early as the Middle Ages in the Middle East, they were used to measure the metric weight of gemstones.
The heavier the diamond, the rarer and more valuable it is, but its price depends primarily on the proportions of the cut. Heavier diamonds can appear visually smaller or larger depending on how they have been cut.
DIAMOND JEWELRY
All four main quality parameters of a diamond play an important role in how the diamond (called a brilliant after being cut) looks and how its value is assessed. When choosing diamond jewelry, it is necessary to find the right balance between the diamond’s characteristics and its price, determined using the 4C method, relative to the available budget. The optimal solution is to purchase custom-made jewelry from a professional jewelry workshop.An experienced jewelry designer listens to the Client’s inspirations, creating a design based on the collected information with a perfectly chosen diamond that will make the recipient happy and meet the highest expectations. The studio 79 Diamonds specializes in creating unique and perfectly crafted custom gold jewelry, particularly wedding and engagement pieces. Each design has its own story and a unique feature that distinguishes custom jewelry from what can be bought in a store.