THE 4C'S
The diamond has been one of the most coveted gems in history. It is internationally recognized as a symbol of love and commitment, and increasingly, as a means of investment.
The beauty and value of a diamond as a whole is determined by four factors, commonly known as the "four Cs". They are:
1) Cut
2) Color
3) Clarity
4) Carat weight
CUT
Cut, sometimes also referred to as "make", is not the same as the shape of a diamond. It is important because it has an effect on the beauty and character of each diamond. Cut really means "proportioning and finish", the two factors that are most directly related to producing the fire (the rainbow of colours that flash from within) and brilliance (the liveliness, the sparkle) that gives each diamond its character and therefore sets them apart.
A diamond with an excellent cut will be electrifying, whereas one with a poor cut will look lifeless, it will lack the sparkle and character we so often identify with diamonds.
Fine cutting requires skill and experience, it not only takes more time, but also results in greater loss of the rough stone from which the diamond is being cut. This will therefore produce a diamond that weighs less when finished. For all these reasons, a well-cut diamond commands a premium and will cost much more than one that is poorly cut.
At Giverni, each piece of diamond and gemstone is specially selected by our in-house experts, ensuring that the finest quality is available for our clients at an excellent price.
COLOUR
Colour is a very important factor to consider when selecting a diamond because it is one of the first things people notice.
Colour refers to the natural colour of a diamond. The finest and most expensive "white" diamonds are absolutely white, or more accurately, colourless, as in pure crystal-clear spring water. However, most diamonds show some trace of yellowish or brownish tint.
In white diamonds, colour differences from one grade to the next can be very subtle. To complicate matters further, a difference of several grades is even less pronounced when a diamond is mounted. Therefore, please keep in mind that it is very difficult to accurately grade colour in a mounted diamond. This is why Giverni diamonds are first submitted for grading before mounting them onto a piece of jewellery.
The diamond color grading scale developed by one of the most respected laboratories, Gemmological Institute of America (GIA), is as follows:
D Colorless Colorless diamonds will have no traces of body color. Master stones must be used to determine the grade.
E
F
G Near Colorless These diamonds will look colorless face up. The slight trace of yellow or brown may not be obvious in diamonds that are in mountings.
H
I
J
K Faint Yellow or Faint Brown Small diamonds may look colorless, but large diamonds have noticeable body color.
L
M
N Very Light Yellow
O
P
Q
R
S Light Yellow
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Z+ Fancy
CLARITY
Every diamond contains unique internal characteristics. No two are the same. These are called inclusions - substances included within the stone as it was forming in nature.
This may be somewhat confusing but it is important to understand that clarity may have little or no effect on the beauty of a diamond if it falls within the fist eight clarity grades, from FL to SI2. Without the help of sophisticated machinery or magnification, few people can detect any visible difference between diamonds until they reach the imperfect grades, and even then it is not always easy to see anything in them.
Many people believe that the clarity grade affects a diamond's brilliance and fire. This is not correct. In fact, the clarity grade has little effect on a diamond's visible appearance except in the very lowest grades. Many people think that the better the clarity, the more sparkling the diamond. In fact, it is the cutting that was mentioned above that determines how brilliant and sparkling a diamond will be.
The clarity grading scale developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is as follows:
FL Flawless These diamonds have no blemishes or inclusions when viewed under 10x magnification
IF Internally Flawless These diamonds have no inclusions, but have minute blemishes under 10x magnification
VVS1-VVS2 Very, Very Slightly Included These diamonds have very minute inclusions that can only be viewed through the pavilion at 10x magnification and are very difficult to see
VS1-VS2 Very Slightly Included These diamonds have minor inclusions that range from difficult to slightly easy to see under 10x magnification
SI1-SI2 Slightly Included These diamonds have noticeable inclusions that can be easy and very easy to see under 10x magnification (and possibly with the unaided eye)
I1-I2-I3 Included These diamonds have obvious inclusions and can be seen with the unaided eye - durability and beauty of the diamond may be affected
CARAT
Carat (ct) is a unit of weight. Diamonds and gemstones weight are measured by carats. It is also referred to in terms of points. There are 100 points to a carat. If a diamond is said to weigh 50 points, it means it weighs half a carat. A 25-point diamond is ¼ carat. A 75-point diamond is ¾ carat.
As carat is a measure of weight and not size, it is important to know that a diamond and another gemstone of the same weight may not have the same size or dimensions even though they weigh the same. For example, a ruby weighs more than a diamond, therefore a one-carat ruby will look smaller than a diamond of the same weight.
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