Do You Really Know Your Diamond?

Diamonds are appraised according to the four Cs: cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. This helps to determine how much the diamond is worth, so you know if you’re getting a good deal or not. When shopping for diamonds, keep these four Cs in mind.

The Four Cs

Cut – Often considered the most important of the Cs, the cut affects how much the diamond sparkles when it catches the light. The most popular cuts of diamonds include round, princess, oval, and marquise.

Color – Assessing a diamond’s color is like scoring in golf; the less color, the better. The darkest diamonds are considered light yellow, while the clearest diamonds are called colorless. Grades range from D to Z with D being completely colorless.

Clarity – Clarity addresses a diamond’s imperfections. This is often considered the least important of the Cs since these blemishes are microscopic and difficult, if not impossible, to see with the naked eye.

Carat Weight – A carat is divided into 100 points and one carat is equal to 0.2 grams, which is about the weight of a paperclip. Typically, the larger the carat weight, the bigger the diamond, but this is not always the case.

Buying Diamonds at a Pawn Shop

When shopping for diamonds at a pawn shop, ask to see if the diamond has been certified. If so, check the grade on each of it’s four Cs to determine if it meets your standards. Then you’ll know what a fair price is for the diamond.

The appraisal must be done by a certified gemological laboratory and ratings may vary between appraisers since they are based on opinions. That’s why it’s important to work with a jeweler you trust so you can be certain of what you’re buying.