What are the four C's when it comes to diamonds?

Take a few minutes to study the 4 Cs (Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat) of diamonds below and become an informed engagement ring shopper.

What do the 4 C's of diamonds mean?

You've probably heard about the 4Cs of a diamond, and you may even know that it stands for diamond cut, color, clarity and carat weight.

Is VS1 or VS2 better?

What do the numbers 1 and 2 mean? A VS1 diamond has slightly fewer and smaller inclusions than a VS2 diamond. In other words, a VS1 diamond is slightly better than a VS2 diamond.

Which C of diamonds is most important?

Diamond cut is the single most important of the 4Cs when it comes to the physical beauty of a diamond. Why? Because a diamond's cut determines how much it sparkles. The number of facets, the angle of the facets, and the symmetry and alignment of the shape will affect how the diamond returns light.

What is the best clarity for a diamond?

The best diamond clarity rating is Flawless (FL). These are the rarest diamonds in the world; less than 0.05% of all diamonds are Flawless or Internally Flawless.

What Are The 4 Cs Of DIAMONDS? Important To Diamond Shopping/ Diamond Buying Info (In Detail) - 2020

What is the best to worst clarity diamond?

GIA Clarity Scale (Best to Worst):

Internally Flawless (IF) Very Very Slightly Included 1 (VVS1) Very Very Slightly Included 2 (VVS2) Very Slightly Included 1 (VS1)

What is the most affordable cut of diamond?

What are the least expensive/most affordable diamond Cuts? Carat-per-carat, emerald and Asscher cuts are the least expensive. Because they are step-cut, there is less waste when these diamonds are cut off of the rough stone, which is going to cost the same no matter how it gets cut.

What makes a diamond sparkle the most?

Refraction creates a sparkle in a diamond as a result of light bouncing around the inside, which hits your eye when the stone is in motion. The brightness, or brilliance, of light that exits through the top of a diamond is a result of both reflection and refraction.

Is the clearer the diamond the better?

Diamond shape and size affect clarity. While clarity is less important than a diamond's cut or color, if you are buying a diamond over one carat or considering certain fancy-shaped diamonds (like an emerald or Asscher cut where flaws are more visible), you may want to spend more for a higher clarity grade.

What is the best cut of diamond for an engagement ring?

Round-Cut Diamond

The most classic choice for an engagement ring, round diamonds provide exceptional sparkle and fire. In fact, round cuts are the most popular engagement ring diamond shape due to their brilliance, light performance, and ability to offer maximum sparkle.

What color diamond shines the most?

Because diamonds reflect white light, colorless diamonds produce the best sparkle and fire. In fact, the more color a diamond has, the less likely it is to reflect white light. And as a result, will produce less sparkle. A D-color diamond is the highest quality, and will offer the greatest sparkle.

Is color G good for a diamond?

Why is G the most popular color grade for diamond engagement rings? G-color is the top diamond color grade in the near-colorless color range. These are diamonds that professionals can tell have a slight tint of color but that appear colorless to the rest of us.

Is J color diamond good?

J color diamonds are a great choice for diamond buyers looking to get a larger carat size while staying in the near colorless range (grades G, H, I, and J). But, the presence of color in a diamond can be made more apparent by a number of factors that are important to consider up front.

Is VS1 clarity good?

A VS1 diamond is a high clarity grade with no visible inclusions and only small, hard-to-identify inclusions under 10x magnification. These diamonds represent the top 5 percent of all gem-quality stones. The most common VS1 inclusions are crystal (white or black), feather, indented natural, knot, or needle.

Is a VS2 diamond good?

Diamonds with a VS2 clarity grade offer you the best balance of beauty and affordability. We think they are the best diamond value. Buying a diamond that has a lower clarity grade but still no eye-visible inclusions will leave more money in your budget to buy a larger, more beautifully cut diamond.

Why Tiffany diamonds are the best?

Overall, they grade similarly to other labs, in terms of giving a Carat Weight, Color, Clarity and Cut. The most important, for Tiffany, is the Cut as they only sell diamonds with Excellent Cut Grades. This alone is part of the reason their diamonds are worth it.

Which cut of diamond gives the most sparkle?

Round Cut Diamonds Sparkle The Most

The standard round cut diamond comprises 57 facets (58 including one on the bezel). This cut heightens the diamond's sparkle and shine. Because round diamonds have the largest number of facets, they create the most sparkle.

Which diamond shape looks biggest?

The four shapes that look the largest per carat are (in order of which looks the largest): marquise, pear, oval, and emerald diamonds. Among these shapes, oval diamonds are a top choice among those who want a classic-style engagement ring, yet want to maximize the size of their engagement ring's center diamond.

What shines better than diamonds?

Moissanite: Brilliance and Fire

It has a higher refractive index than diamond, resulting in greater brilliance than diamond. Moissanite also has greater dispersion (fire) than a diamond, so you will notice more rainbow flashes of light.

Do larger diamonds sparkle less?

You may think: the larger the diamond, the more sparkle. But in reality, diamonds with identical proportions, color and clarity have the same amount of sparkle regardless of size.

What is the most popular cut of diamond?

1. Round- Still takes the top spot. According to GIA, more than 60% of couples choose a round diamond for their center stone. The round cut has been around since the 1800's making it by far the most popular year after year.

Why is my diamond not shiny?

A dirty stone doesn't sparkle because light simply can't enter the diamond and causes it to appear dull. So, if you notice your diamond jewelry getting cloudier overtime, it's likely due to a dirty surface and there's an easy fix to restore their luster.

What looks like diamonds but is cheaper?

Moissanites or white sapphires are most comparable to a diamond. While there are visible differences, these gems will look the closest to a diamond while offering a more affordable price. These stones are also high on the Mohs scale of relative hardness, making them suitable for everyday wear.

Why are pear shaped diamonds cheaper?

Pear shaped diamonds are generally cheaper than round diamonds of the same carat and quality. This is because pear shaped diamonds usually produce less waste when cut from a raw diamond. Additionally, pear shaped diamonds will look larger than round diamonds of the same carat weight.

Are lab grown diamonds real?

Are Lab Diamonds Real? Oh yes. Lab Grown Diamonds are just as real as diamonds that are mined from the earth. They have shape, size, color and clarity grades, just like Natural Diamonds.