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Tuesday, February 24, 2009

The Four Cs of Diamonds

By Dan Joines

The diamond is the hardest substance in nature known to man, yet it is a gemstone of the simplest composition. It is a mineral made up of carbon atoms formed into a crystalline lattice arrangement.

Although there are other factors of a diamond piece that experts consider, like its symmetry, table percentage, and fluorescence, to determine its value, consumers usually learn about the four Cs beforehand as a starting point.

1. Cut - the cut of a diamond actually pertains to both its shape and how well the diamond is formed in relation to its proportions and polish. This factor of a diamond defers from all the others, as it is the only one that is determined by human hands. Nature is responsible for a diamond's color, clarity and carat, but only an expert cutter can make a rough diamond achieve its most beautiful form.

2. Color - the color of a diamond varies from shades of yellow to the higher quality and more uncommon colorless types. A diamond's color is graded, D being the highest for the perfectly colorless stones, to grade Z, which has tints of yellow in the piece.

3. Clarity - like our own fingerprints, no two diamonds are alike. This is because diamonds have inclusions, tiny internal flaws of non-crystallized carbon that are mostly invisible to a human eye. These inclusions affect a diamond's clarity, which is the degree in which light passes through the stone.

4. Carat - pertains to a diamond's weight and is measured in increments called points, 100 points being equal to one carat. Since larger diamonds are rare, the value of a 2-carat diamond is priced higher than that of 2 1-carat diamonds of the same quality.

The quality of a diamond can bring a higher price and a better end product. Daniel Joines is the owner Polished Diamonds. For High Quality Diamond Rings at 1/2 retail shop available at: Polished Diamonds.co.nz - The Diamond Ring Specialist in New Zealand

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