THE FOUR C’S

Forget your ABC’S, the four C’s is all you’ll need to know when it comes to these coveted sparklers.

CUT

This refers to how a diamond is proportioned, resulting from the way in which the diamond facets are polished and cut. A good cut will allow the maximum amount of light that enters the diamond to be reflected and dispersed back through its top, creating the best possible brilliance, aka sparkle.

COLOUR

Like a drop of pure water, a structurally immaculate and chemically pure diamond has no hue. Consequently, a complete absence of colour will lead to a higher value in a diamond, whereas slightly coloured diamonds will garner a lower price. The exceptions, of course, are “fancy” coloured diamonds (think pink or yellow diamonds) where the more vivid the colour, the rarer the stone and the higher the price.

CLARITY

Diamonds are formed when carbon is exposed to immense pressure and heat, deep underground. This process can result in a variety of imperfections called inclusions (internal imperfections) and blemishes (external imperfections). Factors such as the number, size and position of these imperfections, and how they affect the overall appearance of the stone, determine its value.

CARAT WEIGHT

One of the most quickfire ways to refer to a diamond’s quality, a diamond’s carat weight is the measurement of how much that diamond, once cut and polished, weighs. All else being equal, a diamond’s price increases with its carat weight. One carat is the equivalent to the metric weight of 200mg.