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Using the Four Cs in Diamond Purchasing

diamonds

Whether it’s an engagement ring, a Valentine’s Day gift or any other use of diamond jewelry, many among us simply don’t know the right ways to shop for our partner. They’re a relatively expensive item, and this tends to make inexperience shoppers nervous – am I making the right decision? Am I forgetting any vital details? These questions are common.

At AAA Jewelers, our goal is to relax and simplify the process for you when you browse our custom jewelry. One simplification method we encourage our clients to utilize is the “Four Cs” method – let’s look at what each of these stands for, and what they mean to you during the buying process.

Carat Weight

This is one of the most common measures of a diamond’s quality, but many people misinterpret it – you care about the weight of the carat, not the size. Your cost will increase as carat weight does the same – often exponentially due to the rarity of higher-carat stones. There may not seem a large difference between a 1.4 carat stone and a 1.5 carat diamond, but the price difference could be large.

Cut

Cut and shape are not the same thing – cut refers more to the quality of the stone, and stones of the same cut can be shaped differently. It affects how much the diamond sparkles, and a great cut may even make a diamond appear larger than the carat weight indicates. There are five grades of cut: Ideal, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor.

Color

Graded by letter – Z has the most color, ranging up to D, which is the clearest. Therefore, diamonds with a D rating for color will be the most expensive, ranging on down the list.

Clarity

Most diamonds have imperfections, and clarity rating observes these. It often requires magnification and a very close eye, and there are several different clarity grades, from Flawless, Internally Flawless to an I1 rating (which means the stone is “included,” or highly imperfect).

Want to learn more tricks from the best jewelers in the game, or want more information on any of our custom jewelry? Speak to the professionals at AAA Jewelers today.