The 4C’s of diamond engagement rings are very important to understand before picking the perfect diamond.
A marriage proposal is the first step of the rest of your life and is a story that will likely be told for many years to come. In today’s society there is a lot of pressure to find the ‘perfect fit’. Particularly when it comes to the ring size. We’ve done some digging into the world of diamonds and it turns out, size isn’t everything.
The 4C’s, otherwise known as cut, clarity, colour and carat are a grading system to help determine the value and cost of a diamond. These certainly aren’t the only factors to consider, but are terrific terms to guide you in your shopping experience.
To make the ring hunting a bit easier, we’ve summarised each concept to ensure that you get the most bling for your buck.
1.Cut
Diamonds are universally known for their brilliant sparkle. The cut is undoubtedly the most important characteristic and is the only component not influenced by nature. Masters of the trade will polish and proportion the raw stone to create the diamond as we know it. Different cuts will create different rates of reflection, otherwise known as sparkle. Essentially, the better the cut, the better the sparkle factor – so choose wisely. The cut is generally graded as excellent, very good, good, fair or poor.
2. Colour
Diamonds naturally occur in an assortment of colours, ranging from colourless to shades of yellow. To the untrained eye, most diamonds will appear colourless but many have tints of yellow or brown that affect their value. They are graded from D-Z, D being colourless. The more valuable and rare the diamond, the closer the stone will be to D.
This of course depends on what you’re looking for. Perhaps you’re in the market for something more colourful. In which case there are a variety of colours to choose from, ranging from pink to green. Unfortunately, these are even more rare than D graded diamonds and will definitely come with a hefty price tag.
3. Clarity
Clarity describes the natural imperfections of the diamond, commonly known as inclusions. These occur on the inside of the diamond and impact reflection of light within the stone. Essentially, the more inclusions you have the less your diamond will sparkle.
Clarity will be graded on a chart with a variety of letters, ranging from flawless (FL) to included (I). Flawless diamonds are hard to come by so don’t stress if you don’t see these on your shopping trip.
The industry has a diverse range of opinions on this matter. Some say you should only shop between flawless and slightly included, while others believe very slightly included graded diamonds are just as good. Pro-tip, trust your jeweller. They have a vast understanding and will match your needs to your budget.
4. Carat
This describes the weight of the diamond. Subsequently, contrary to popular belief, bigger doesn’t always mean better. Of course, a large carat size is always magnificent! Unfortunately, without good ratings in cut, clarity and colour your overall value of the diamond will be poor.
This of course, doesn’t mean it won’t be expensive. Naturally, the larger the carat, the more costly the diamond. It’s important to remember that carats should be used as a guideline, not a rulebook. No two diamonds are alike and the weight and size will be different for each one.
Interested in learning more about the 4C’s of diamond engagement rings? Jeremy from The Gemlab is your go to expert!
Get in touch if you would like any assistance on your dream marriage proposal or wedding planning.