How to Grade the Quality of a Diamond
Jewelers and gemologists most commonly evaluate diamond quality through what is known as "The 4Cs," as established by the Gemological Institute of America: carat, color, clarity and cut. The 4Cs will determine a diamond's value and price. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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1
Weigh the diamond. Diamonds are weighed in carats, with one carat equaling 0.2 grams. A diamond that weighs 1 gram will be a five-carat diamond.
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2
Check the diamond for marks under 10x magnification. Internal marks are called inclusions, while external markings are called blemishes. The fewer blemishes and inclusions, the better the clarity and subsequent quality of a diamond.
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Rank the color of the diamond by comparing it against the Gemological Institute of America Diamond Grading System, which ranks diamonds from colorless to light yellow or brown. This step might require a trained professional to accurately evaluate subtle color differences. The highest graded diamonds are colorless.
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4
Measure the proportions of the diamond's facets to determine the grade of the cut: percent table diameter, crown angle, percent pavilion depth, percent total depth, girdle thickness and culet size. The Gemological Institute of America and the American Gemological Society have slightly different margins for the proportions that make an "ideal" diamond. The more light a diamond reflects, the higher the quality of the cut.
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Tips & Warnings
Evaluating the quality of a diamond can be difficult to the untrained eye because of the subtle grade differences of each of the 4Cs. If unsure of the exact carat, color, clarity or cut, take the diamond to a gemologist or professional jeweler to be evaluated.
U.S. law requires synthetic or treated diamonds to be marked as such. Synthetic diamonds and natural diamonds are increasingly difficult to distinguish without professional assessment. If you are worried that a diamond might be synthetic or treated, have it evaluated by a professional.
References
- Photo Credit diamond and rose image by Julianna Olah from Fotolia.com
