Diamond Quality 101: Carat, Color, Clarity, and Cut All Entries
Diamonds are a very common precious jewel, but not many people know much about how the worth of individual stones are determined. The quality of diamonds is determined by several factors including carat, color, clarity and cut. Each factor is rated and then the diamond quality can be determined.
Carat
Carat is simply the diamond's weight. One carat is equal to 0.2 grams and can be further broken down into 100 points per carat. Most diamond engagement rings are 0.75 points or 3/4 of a carat in weight. There is a little bit of variation as the actual weight versus the stated weight as some jewelers may round the weight up or down for easier classification. Always inquire about how a jeweler determines the weight of the stone before purchasing.
Color
Diamonds, like many other precious jewels, can come in a variety of colors. The most common is colorless with slight undertones of yellow or brown. But diamonds can come in blue, pink, purple, green, or even red, although these colors are less common. In general, the more colorless the diamond is, the higher the value. Color is ranked by different organizations that determine the color grade.
Clarity
Natural diamonds can have inclusions--tiny traces of minerals, gasses or impurities--that determine the clarity of the stone. The higher the clarity, the more the stone is worth. Very few stones are inclusion-free, but inclusions do have their advantages. Since no two stones are alike, those inclusions can be used to help identify the stone.
Cut
Lastly, the cut, not the shape, of the diamond helps determine the worth of the stone. Precious stones such as diamonds are faceted so that light can be refracted in and on the stone. Those facets are graded which helps determine the value.
The quality of diamonds is determined by master jewelers according to strict guidelines. The buyers at Ralph Mueller and Associates carefully weigh, measure and record the features to determine the value of every stone we receive. If you are interested in selling your jewelry, please contact us for more information.