Mastering the 5Cs
Cut
Cut is the most important of all the 5Cs. The beauty and the value of a diamond is achieved through proper faceting of a rough diamond...
The beauty and the value of a diamond can be accomplished through proper faceting of the rough diamond. It is often thought that a diamond's cut is shape (round, princess, emerald, pear...etc.). However, cut is not shape. The diamond’s cut is the precise workmanship of faceting a stone so that its proportions, symmetry, and polish allow the facets of the diamond to dance with the light, unleashing the diamond’s maximum beauty.
When a diamond is cut with the proper proportions, light travels within the pavilion and reflects out of the top of the diamond (which gemologists refer to as the table) to create the desired Brilliance, Brightness, Fire, and Scintillation.
P.S. The diamond’s brilliance will make her eyes widen, her lips quiver as she gasps with pure delight. You love her, you always will. So what could be more brilliant than a glimmering diamond, which says “forever.”
Cut Grades
Ideal cut: An exquisite and rare cut-- Reflects nearly all light that enters the diamond. Represents roughly 3% of diamonds in the market today.
Very good cut: Reflects nearly as much light as the ideal cut, but for a lower price. Represents roughly 15% of diamonds in the market today.
Good cut: Reflects most light that enters. Much less expensive than a very good cut. Represents roughly 25% of diamonds in the market today.
Fair cut: Still a quality diamond, but a fair cut will not be as brilliant as a good cut. Represents roughly 35% of diamonds in the market today.
Poor cut: Diamonds that are generally deep and narrow, or shallow and wide that they lose most of the light out the sides and bottom.
At Kassab Jewelers, we do not carry diamonds with poor cut grades.
Color
Color manifests itself in a diamond as pale yellow. This is why a diamond's color grade is based on its lack of color...
- A colorless diamond is the ideal color and is referred to as the whiteness of a diamond.
- The diamond’s color-grading chart begins with D and ends with Z. While D refers to the absence of color in a diamond, Z refers to the presence of color (faint yellow) in a diamond.
Unlike many beautiful things in nature, the absence of color in a diamond is a symbol of purity and is considered the ideal gem. A diamond’s color grade is based on its lack of color, the less color a diamond has, the higher the color grade.
By selecting a diamond that is considerably colorless or white (especially if it was set in white metal), one needs to select a diamond color grade of F or better. Choosing a diamond with a near colorless grade of G, H, I, or J will have a slight presence of color but will give you a better value for your dollar.
Color Grade sheet
D: Absolutely colorless: The highest grade of color
E-F: Colorless: An expert gemologist can detect minute traces of color.
G-J: Near colorless: Color difficult to detect by the naked eye, unless compared side by side against diamonds of higher grade.
K-M: Faint Color: Has a slight yellow hue.
N-R: Noticeable color: Diamonds in this color range tend to have a yellow hue
S-Z: Very Noticeable Color: The diamond has an apparent yellow hue
Clarity
Much is made of a diamond's clarity, but of the 5Cs, it is the easiest to understand and according to many experts, generally has the least impact on a diamond's appearance...
- The clarity grade is based on the presence or absence of tiny, organic characteristics produced by nature.
- During the grading process, the gemologist determines the number, size, relief, nature, and position of these internal (inclusions) and external (blemishes) characteristics and how they affect the overall appearance of the diamond.
While no diamond is perfectly pure, the soul of a diamond is its clarity. Deep within the diamond lie the presence of natural characteristics known as blemishes or inclusions. These defining characteristics are natural imperfections crafted by mother earth many years ago. Inclusions are the diamond’s fingerprints, no two diamonds are alike. Diamonds with fewer inclusions/blemishes receive a higher clarity grade while diamonds with a higher presence of inclusions/blemishes receive a lower clarity grade.
Clarity Grades
FL, IF: Very rare. No internal or external imperfections. These diamonds are perfect in every way.
VVS1, VVS2: Extremely difficult to see imperfections with magnification, and impossible to see imperfections with the naked eye. Excellent quality diamond.
VS1, VS2: Imperfections can slightly be seen with magnification, but still, not typically visible to the naked eye.
SI1, SI2: Imperfections are clearly visible with magnification, and depending on where the inclusions lie, can or cannot be seen with the naked eye.
I1, I2,I3: Imperfections are clearly visible both with magnification and to the naked eye.
Carat Weight
As the name suggests, carat weight specifically refers to a diamond's weight. However, much as a person's weight does not necessarily correlate with height, carat weight, by itself, may not accurately reflect a diamond's size...
- The Carat is the standard unit of weight for diamonds and other gemstones. Just as a dollar is divided into 100 pennies, a carat is divided into 100 points.
- Even though two diamonds can have the same carat weight, their measurements in millimeters can vary.
Certification
A diamond certificate, also called a diamond grading report or diamond quality document, is a report created by a team of gemologists...
The diamond is evaluated, measured, and scrutinized using trained eyes, a jeweler’s loupe, a microscope, and other industry tools. A completed certificate includes an analysis of the diamond’s dimensions, clarity, color, polish, symmetry, and other characteristics. Many round diamonds will also include a cut grade on the report.