ABOUT DIAMONDS
Wright's Jewelry, 4911 Fallston Road, Fallston, NC, Cleveland County, North Carolina 704-538-7991
When choosing a diamond , it is important to consider more than just the size of the diamond and its price. Every diamond is unique, so several factors must be considered when deciding which diamond best suits your needs. Generally those factors are known as the 4 c's. Our diamond experts will happily explain these technical considerations to take the confusion out of your buying experience.
THE 4 C'S
COLOR
Most diamonds of gem quality vary in color from colorless to yellow or brown, and are categorized by the letters D through Z. Diamonds graded to be D-F are in the colorless range. Those graded G-I are considered near-colorless. Diamonds graded J in color begin to have a distinct hue that increases as the grades move through the alphabet toward Z.
CLARITY
When diamonds are formed most develop naturally occurring inclusions that vary in size, number and location. Generally, inclusions do not detract from the overall beauty of a diamond until the size or number of them grow large enough to become apparent without magnification. The fewer and less visible inclusions are, the higher the value of the diamond.
CUT
The brilliant or round cut is the most popular, but marquise, princess, oval, emerald, pear and other shapes are highly sought after. But cut refers to more than just shape. How closely the diamond cutter fashioned the finished diamond to exact, ideal proportions determines the brilliance and lustre of the diamond, and directly affects the value.
CARAT WEIGHT
Diamonds are sold by weight rather than by physical size, and are measured in carats. One carat is .02 grams and there are 100 points in a carat. So a diamond that weighs 1/2 carats may be described as weighing 50 points. Scales with ultra high precision must be used to accurately determine the exact carat weight of a diamond. The larger a diamond is, the more scarce it is, so the price per carat goes up as size increases. Therefore, a one carat diamond would cost much more than twice as much as a comparable 1/2 carat diamond.
