Education

Diamonds are renowned for their ability to transmit light and sparkle so intensely. We often think of a diamond's cut as shape (round, emerald, pear), but a diamond's cut grade is really about how well a diamond's facets interact with light.

Precise artistry and workmanship are required to fashion a stone so its proportions, symmetry, and polish deliver the magnificent return of light only possible in a diamond.

A chemically pure and structurally perfect diamond has no hue, like a drop of pure water, and consequently, a higher value. GIA's D-to-Z diamond color-grading system – the industry's most widely accepted grading system – measures the degree of colorlessness by comparing a stone under controlled lighting and precise viewing conditions to masterstones stones of established color value. The scale begins with the letter D, representing colorless, and continues, with increasing presence of color, to the letter Z. While many of these color distinctions are so subtle that they are invisible to the untrained eye, they make a very big difference in diamond quality and price.

Many inclusions and blemishes are too tiny to be seen by anyone other than a trained diamond grader. The GIA Diamond Clarity Scale has 6 categories, some of which are divided, for a total of 11 specific grades. To the naked eye, a VS1 and an SI2 diamond may look exactly the same, but these diamonds are quite different in terms of overall quality and value. This is why expert and accurate assessment of diamond clarity is extremely important.

One carat is defined as 200 milligrams. Because a carat measures the diamond's weight – not its size – two diamonds of slightly different sizes may have the same carat weight.

All else being equal, diamond price increases with diamond carat weight, because larger diamonds are more rare and more desirable. But two diamonds of equal carat weight can have very different values (and prices) depending on three other factors of the diamond 4Cs: Clarity, Color, and Cut. It's important to remember that a diamond's value is determined using all of the 4Cs, not just carat weight.