You can buy coffee by the pound. You can even buy deli meat by the pound. Even if you’ve never bought a diamond, the correlation between weight and price is a concept that we can all understand. Therefore, the general perception is that a larger diamond is more valuable than a smaller one.

Diamonds are measured or weighed in “carats”, or the equivalent of 200 milligrams. Precision in weighing a diamond is such that a diamond is weighed to a thousandth (.001) of a carat and then rounded to the nearest hundredth.

What is not as easy to understand is that a 2.00 carat diamond is not always worth twice as much as a 1.00 carat diamond. Large diamonds are rarer than smaller ones, so logically they seem to be worth more. But the value of a diamond is determined by considering all of the 4Cs of diamond quality as a whole.

Remember, when you are looking at diamonds, bigger is not always better. Learn about the next C, Diamond Color, before your next purchase.

The post Diamond Carat Weight Grading appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

One of the hardest of the 4Cs to understand may be a diamond’s cut. A well-cut diamond displays the unique sparkle we associate with diamond.

Many people often mistake a diamond’s shape (round, rectangular, oval) with its cut. But diamond cut is more than shape. A cut grade evaluates a diamond’s proportions, symmetry, and polish, which combine to deliver the magnificent return of light only possible in a diamond.

The diamond’s cut is crucial to a stone’s final beauty and value; however all of the 4Cs need to be taken into account when making a purchase decision. Learn about the next C, Diamond Carat Weight.

The post Diamond Cut: It’s More Than Shape appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

It has been said that few things in nature are absolutely perfect. The same holds true of diamonds. Part of what makes a diamond unique is what is commonly referred to as a diamond’s clarity characteristic.

A diamond’s clarity characteristic is made up of both inclusions (internal features) and blemishes (surface irregularities). The number, size, relief, nature, and position of these characteristics affect the overall appearance of the stone, and go a long way toward determining which of the 6 GIA Clarity categories the diamond falls under.

A flawless diamond is rare, so when looking to purchase a diamond, it’s important to understand how clarity, one of the 4Cs of diamond quality, plays into the diamond purchase decision.

Learn more about diamond clarity with this great educational video from GIA.

Remember, the value of a diamond is determined only after considering all of the 4Cs of diamond quality, so learn about the next C, Diamond Cut.

The post Are Diamonds Really Perfect? appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

When browsing for jewelry, one might be captivated by the glimmer of a diamond’s sparkle, and assume that most diamonds are colorless.  And while it’s true that certain  diamonds have colors so blindingly brilliant that they take on beautiful hues of the rainbow, truly colorless diamonds are actually quite rare.

Diamond colors usually range from nearly colorless, to light yellow to brown, and generally speaking, the differences in color can be subtle. However, those subtleties can cause a dramatic variation in price. Learn more about Diamond Color with this short 1-minute video clip from GIA.

Remember, the value of a diamond is determined only after considering all of the 4Cs of diamond quality, so a colorless diamond may not be the ‘best color’ for you. Learn about the next C, Diamond Clarity.

The post Are Diamonds Really Colorless? appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.