The 4 C's of Diamonds
Information provided in cooperation with European Gemological Laboratory

Carat Weight

Carat is the measure of weight of a diamond. It does not measure size; nor should it be confused with "karat," a measure of gold purity.

1 Carat = 0.2 grams or 0.007 ounce. The weight of the diamond and the price per carat determines the price of a diamond.

Total Price = Weight x Price per Carat

All other things being equal, the greater the carat weight, the rarer the diamond and the more expensive it is.

Although many people equate "bigger" with "better," diamonds of all carat weight have the potential to be lively, exciting, and beautiful. The most important thing is to buy the one that's right for you.

To choose the ideal carat weight, consider the following:

• The recipient's personal style, finger size, and the size and style of the setting
• Keep in mind that the smaller the finger, the larger the diamond will appear. A 1½-carat diamond solitaire looks much larger on a size 4 finger than a size 8.
• If you have already chosen a setting, make sure you choose a diamond that looks appropriate in the ring.

*note: Diamond weight not to scale as monitor sizes differ

Cut

Many gemologists consider cutting quality to be the most important diamond characteristic because even if a diamond has perfect color and clarity, a diamond with a poor cut will have reduced brilliance. Cut is not shape, ie, pear, round, oval. Cut refers to the quality of the proportioning, polish, and symmetry.

Generally speaking, there is some agreement on how round brilliant-cut diamonds should be cut to optimize brilliance and dispersion. However, there is no universal standard as to what constitutes the "ultimate" or "perfect" proportions for a round brilliant. This is a current area of research for EGL USA and the diamond industry.

The cut of a diamond--its roundness, its depth and width, and the uniformity of the facets--all determine a diamond's ability to exhibit brilliance.

Diamond Anatomy:
The width and depth have the greatest effect on how light travels within the diamond, and how it exits in the form of brilliance. As cutting quality can be a confusing subject, ask your professional jeweler about "ideal" proportions and request a cut grading report from a major independent gemological laboratory like EGL USA.

• Diameter: The width of the diamond as measured through the girdle.
• Table: The flat top and largest facet of a gemstone.
• Crown: The top portion of a diamond extending from the girdle to the table.
• Girdle: The narrow band around the widest part of a diamond.
• Pavilion: The bottom portion of a diamond, extending from the girdle to the point of the stone.
• Culet: The facet at the tip of a gemstone. The preferred culet is not visible with the unaided eye (graded "medium" or "none")
• Depth: The height of a gemstone measured from the culet to the table.

How does cut affect fancy shaped diamonds?
What about fancy cut diamonds like marquise, pear, oval, heart, emerald, princess, radiant, and others? How can a consumer know a fancy-cut diamond is well cut?

Due to the symmetry of round brilliant-cut diamonds, it is much easier to formulate proportion criteria and strike an optimum balance between brilliance and dispersion. Although EGL USA supplies extensive proportion information on its diamond certificates for fancy-cut diamonds, there is currently no universal set of standards constituting ideal proportions for these shapes. With that said, here are some general guidelines:

• The degree of brilliance in a fancy shape can be one way to tell whether it is cut within acceptable proportions or not. A fancy-cut diamond should be exciting to look at and should dance in the light --it shouldn't suffer from too much "light leakage" through the pavilion.
• A phenomenon called the "bowtie" effect - an obvious diminished area of brilliance appearing like a bowtie - occurs in certain fancy-shape diamonds when the proportions are off. Well-cut fancy shape diamonds show only a minimal bowtie effect. This is something your eye will be able to decide.
• The symmetry of fancy cut diamonds is an important consideration. Take a look at how well the two halves of a fancy shape diamond look when seen from the profile view and the top view. The two halves should display very little differences, and ideally be mirror images of one another. Diamonds with mismatched halves may have been cut that way to save weight.
  

Diamonds with points at their ends, such as marquises, pears, and hearts, should be thick enough at the points to stand up to normal wear and tear. If these diamonds are cut too shallow, a point may be vulnerable to chipping under certain circumstances.

Common Diamond Shapes

Color

Color is personal: some people like a diamond with an ice-cold whiteness (colorless or near-colorless), while others prefer the golden glow of a warmer color. Diamonds with no color like D, E, F, are very rare and are more expensive than near-colorless (G, H, I, J) diamonds.

Diamonds with a faint tinge of color (K, L, M, N, O) have a slightly warm color and are more affordable. For those who want a larger diamond within a certain budget, selecting diamonds with a lower color grade may be the best option.

Less color is generally preferred but "fancy" is rare. Did you know that diamonds come in every color of the rainbow? EGL USA has handled thousands of these rare "fancy colors" and carat for carat, they're the most expensive objects on the entire earth. Some of the highest prices paid per carat are for colored diamonds.

Fancy colors include brilliant yellows, steely blues, soft pinks, fiery oranges and more; there's even fancy white and black. If the color is natural, as opposed to treated, the prices of these fancies can be extremely high.

Below is the official color grading scale recognized by the international diamond trade and laboratories like EGL USA. The scale runs in order of rarity from colorless on the left to light yellow on the right.

Clarity

Clarity refers to how free a diamond is from nature's "birthmarks," or tiny, generally microscopic imperfections that make each diamond unique.

Diamonds are assigned clarity grades based on what can be detected with ten-power magnification. Most internal features (inclusions) and external features (blemishes) in the diamond have little or no effect on brilliance and fire.

So if small clarity characteristics don't affect a diamond's beauty, why are diamonds with higher clarity grade so expensive? It's simply because diamonds with relatively few clarity characteristics are very rare. Fortunately, diamonds of all clarity grades and prices, including those with eye-visible inclusions, can look beautiful depending on how well they're cut and other factors. The best advice is to look at several diamonds of different clarity grades and let your eye be the guide! Remember, trained professionals perform clarity grading under ten-power binocular magnification and the average person would have a harder time locating clarity characteristics.

Jewelry Care

Fine jewelry is a precious possession that is designed and crafted to last a lifetime. However, proper care is required to assure the lasting qualities of your jewelry. Below are some simple, basic guidelines for the care and cleaning of your fine jewelry:

Basic care tips:

• Store your jewelry in a clean, dry place.
• Keep your jewelry in a fabric-lined jewelry case, or in a box with compartments and dividers. If you prefer to use ordinary boxes, wrap each piece individually in soft tissue paper.
• Don't jumble your jewelry pieces in a drawer or jewelry case. Pieces can scratch each other.
• Be careful when removing your jewelry to wash your hands. Do not leave your jewelry on the rim of a sink where it can easily slip down the drain.
• See your jeweler at least once a year to have your jewelry checked for loose prongs, worn mountings, and general wear and tear. Visit your jeweler every six months to have your jewelry professionally cleaned.
• There are many types of small machines on the market that will clean jewelry in a matter of minutes using high-frequency sound. These machines are called ultrasonic cleaners and are available in many different models and prices. They can be a convenient way to quickly clean your jewelry at home. However, ultrasonic cleaners can damage some jewelry and prolonged use may loosen gemstones from their mountings. Your local jeweler can tell you if an ultrasonic cleaning machine is right for your jewelry wardrobe and, if it is, recommend an appropriate model.