Choosing a Diamond

Have you heard of the 4 C’s?

This is a concept developed by the diamond industry to determine the quality of a diamond and in turn its retail value. It helps consumers by creating a point of comparison and easing the process of selecting a diamond. Colour, clarity, cut, and carat weight are often the only factors consumers consider when shopping for the perfect diamond. The 4 C’s are just four of many factors that contribute to the diamond's value.

The 4 C’s are just four of many factors that contribute to the diamond's value.

The 4C’s of Diamond Quality

Colour – The grading for diamond colour is based on the absence of colour. Under controlled and precise conditions, diamonds are compared using GIA’s scale of D (colourless) to Z (light yellow or brown). This grading has no bearing on the performance of your diamond and interestingly, other factors can contribute to making this grading look higher.

Clarity – This is a grading on the characteristics and visibility of the carbon inclusions that form as a diamond grows. The GIA’s scale of grading clarity ranges from Flawless to I3. However, it is incredibly rare to find a diamond that lacks any internal and external characteristics. At Janai, we take time to help you select the perfect diamond that fits your specific criteria.

Cut – The cut grade is entirely separate from the diamond shape. GIA grades this from excellent to poor. Although round brilliant cut diamonds can achieve a triple excellent grade, fancy cuts can only achieve double excellent grades. This is the most important of the 4 C’s as it increases the overall light performance of your diamond.

Carat Weight – This is often mistaken as the size of the diamond; however, carat weight refers solely to the diamond's physical weight. Therefore, you can get two 1ct diamonds that look different as they are different in diameter. The diamond's cut grade will help determine this and will certainly be taken into consideration when shopping with Janai!

Beyond the 4C’s

Buying based only on the above is simply not enough. Knowledge is power and being prepared and well researched is so important to maximise your budget and ensure you are purchasing the best quality diamond. You will often see price variations among diamonds when basing your purchase solely on the 4 C’s as well as variations in light performance and optical brilliance. This is because there are many other factors that contribute to the diamonds value and the diamonds overall light performance.

When shopping with Janai, we guarantee to take all these factors into consideration in efforts to find you the perfect diamond that fits within your parameters. Remember, there are many factors that are not on a diamond certificate but are just as important. We will educate you on these in depth when you arrive for your consultation, get in touch with one of our experts today.

Book your appointment today to begin Your Janai Journey.