Diamonds: Quality and Clarity Are What You Need

All diamonds are not created equal.

When it comes to diamonds, not all of them are created equal. There are some big differences between the diamonds that you see at the jeweler and those that are truly spectacular.

One of the most important things to consider when buying a diamond is quality, which can be determined by four different criteria. When it comes to grade, there are good grades and bad grades. There's no such thing as a diamond "grade" or "type." All diamonds have either a color grade or a standard grade (also called clarity). The higher the color grade, the higher the value of your diamond will be. If you're looking for an expensive diamond, then it's worth considering whether or not you need one with high quality and clarity.

The 4 C's -- cut, color, clarity, and carat -- are key in determining the quality of your diamond.

The 4 C’s are the standard used to grade diamonds. They are cut, color, clarity, and carat.

• Cut refers to the shape and design of the diamond as well as how well it refracts light. The better a diamond is cut, the more expensive it will be.
• Color refers to the color of a diamond rather than how much light it reflects or refracts. Colorless diamonds are the most valuable and rarest because they let more light pass through them than colored ones do.
• Clarity describes any flaws a diamond might have in its structure. The fewer flaws there are, the more expensive it will be because more light passes through them.
• Carat is how much a gemstone weighs (1 carat = .2 grams). The heavier a stone is, the more expensive it will be because larger stones tend to be rarer than smaller ones.

Clarity refers to the presence of flaws within a diamond.

You may have heard the term "clarity" when people talk about diamonds. While there is some confusion about what "clarity" means, it is a fairly straightforward concept in the diamond industry. Clarity refers to the presence of flaws within a diamond. A flawless (or "FL") diamond has no flaws visible under 10x magnification, whereas a diamond that contains small flaws or inclusions is referred to as an included ("I1", "I2", etc.) stone. The fewer flaws, and the less noticeable those flaws are, the more valuable a given stone will be.

When shopping for your perfect engagement ring, you may see clarity grades like IF, VVS1-VVS2, VS1-VS2, SI1-SI3 and I1-I3 on gemological reports. This grading system was developed by GIA (Gemological Institute of America) as part of their 4C's methodology - Cut Color Clarity Carat Weight - which helps determine value depending on each individual stone's characteristics and quality measures.

The quality and clarity of a diamond determines its value.

In order to determine a diamond’s value, there are 4 factors that jewelers consider, known as the 4 Cs: cut, color, clarity, and carat. The cut of the diamond largely determines how much light will be reflected off of it and how bright it will shine. Color is another factor used to evaluate the quality of diamonds; with colored varieties such as pink or blue being quite rare. Clarity refers to how clear or imperfect a diamond is; most quality diamonds have some slight imperfections, which can influence its price. Carat is a measure of weight that influences the size of a stone; though carat has no impact on the quality of an uncut diamond itself.

Ultimately, it is up to you what you understand as “quality” and “clarity” when looking for your next piece of jewelry!

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