The 4 C’s of a Diamond

If you’re choosing a diamond engagement ring a term that you might come across is the four C’s.  Well if you wonder what this means here’s some info to help.

The 4 C’s are simply, a method of grading, used by experts to determine the quality and the value of a diamond.  The grades, or the four C’s, are:

The cut – the way it is cut determines a diamond’s light reflecting qualities, in other words its brilliance and its sparkle.

The clarity – most diamonds contain tiny inclusions.  The fewer the inclusions the more valuable the stone.

The color – a diamond that is colorless is very rare – most diamonds have a touch of color.

The carat weight – the weight of a diamond is measured in carats, and one carat equals 0.2 grams or 100 points.  So a 25-point diamond would be a quarter of a carat.

Incidentally did you know that the word carat comes from carob seeds, and that carob seeds in times gone by were used for weighing small quantities?