4cs Diamonds
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. Below we take a closer look into the individual 4Cs.
CARAT
The unit used to measure the weight of diamonds is called a carat. One carat is equivalent to 0.200 grams or 1/5 gram, and it is further divided into 100 points. To give you a perspective in familiar units in the United States, one carat is equal to 0.007 ounce avoirdupois. This means that it would take more than 2,265 carats to make up 1 pound!
COLOR
Additionally, for diamonds the following colors are used: White (which are milky), Black (which are opaque), Gray, Pink, Brown. The saturation of these hues is then described with one of nine descriptors: Faint, Very Light, Light, Fancy Light, Fancy, Fancy Dark, Fancy Intense, Fancy Deep, Fancy Vivid.
CLARITY
The purity and scarcity of a diamond determine its clarity, which is assessed by examining its characteristics under a 10-power magnification. If a diamond displays no inclusions (internal flaws) or blemishes (external imperfections) when viewed under 10-power magnification, it receives a flawless grading.
CUT
A diamond's cut refers to how well-proportioned the dimensions of a diamond are, and how these surfaces, or facets, are positioned to create sparkle and brilliance.