The 4 C’s
Colour
Colour Although most gem-quality diamonds appear colorless to the untrained eye, there are subtle differences in shade. Diamonds with no traces of body color are extremely rare and very costly. A diamond’s color is determined by a trained professional who compares the color to a diamond in a “Master set” whose color has been predetermined by independent authority such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA)
Clarity
FL (Flawless)
Flawless diamonds reveal no flaws on the surface or internally and are the rarest gems.
IF (Internally Flawless))
Internally Flawless Diamonds reveal no inclusions and only insignificant blemishes on the surface under 10 X magnification.
VVS1-VVS2 (Very, Very
Very difficult to see inclusions under 10 X magnifications. These are excellent quality diamonds
VS1-VS2 (Very Slightly Included)
Only looking through a 10X loupe can pinpoint the inclusions in this category and are impossible to see with the naked eye.
SI1-SI3 (Slightly Included)
Diamonds with inclusions easily identified under 10X magnification. Finding flaws in this category with the naked eye is difficult. The gems in this category maintain their integrity, depending on the location of the inclusions.
I1-I3 (Included)
Diamonds with inclusions which may or may not be easily seen by the naked eye. The flaws on the stones in this category will have some effect on the brilliance of your Diamond.
Cut
A well-cut diamond will always be able to reflect light better. The cut of a diamond refers to its proportions. It is one of the most important factors to be considered while choosing your diamond. It is an aspect which is directly influenced by man while the other three are influenced 100% by nature.
When a diamond is cut to proper proportions, light enters through the table and travels to the pavilion where it reflects from one side to the other before reflecting back out of the diamond through the table and to the observer’s eye. This light is the brilliance and it’s this flashing, fiery effect that makes diamonds so mesmerizing.
The well cut standards are broken up into ideal, excellent and very good categories. Other cuts that prevail are good, fair and poor cut.
Ideal / Excellent Cut:
A very rare and an excellent quality of Diamond. Diamonds with Ideal / Excellent Cut reflect almost all the light that enters the diamond.
Very Good Cut:
The light reflected is nearly the same when compared to Ideal / Excellent Cut Diamond, but attracts a lower price compared to Ideal / Excellent Cut Diamonds.
Good Cut:
Nearly reflects most light that enters in. Such diamonds are available at a lower cost thereby making it less pricey compared to the Ideal / Very Good cut Diamonds.
Fair Cut:
A fair cut diamond typically reflects only a small portion of light. Typically these diamonds have been cut to maximize the carat weight over most other considerations. Noble House does not carry fair cut diamonds.
Poor Cut:
“Poor Cut” is the description generally used to describe a diamond that has been cut too deep or too shallow. When this occurs the diamond will lose significant amounts of light. A major benefit of this type of diamond is the price. A diamond that is a poor cut will be significantly lower in price than any other cut grade. Noble House does not carry poor cut diamonds.
Carat Weight
Diamonds and other gem stones are weighed using metric carats with one carat weighing about the same as a small paperclip, or 0.2 grams. Just as a dollar is divided into 100 pennies, a carat is divided into 100 points which means that a diamond of 50 points weighs 0.5 carats. However, carat weight is not the only factor in determining the value of a diamond; two diamonds of equal weight can have very different values depending on the other “C” factors.
