The Four C's of Diamond Selection

If you and your loved one are looking to purchase a diamond sometime soon, perhaps it's time to consider the four c's of diamond shopping.

Cut, colour, clarity, and carat make up the four most important factors to look for when shopping for quality diamonds. The Four C's contribute to the price and look of a diamond and thus are a pretty good general guide to selecting loose diamonds. As such, a long tried and true method, experts, designers, and customers alike have come to use it when choosing their diamonds.

Whether you've heard of the "Four C's" or not, it's important to know what you are getting when making such an important purchase. To help alleviate some of the pressure in buying top quality diamonds, we at GMG Jewellers have compiled the list on the four c's for you, our Saskatoon, Saskatchewan friends and neighbors.

CUT

First, when diamond shopping, consider the cut. A diamond's cut can refer to the shape of a stone (round brilliant, princess cut, etc.), but more importantly, it refers to the proportions used and the polish when crafting the rings. Expert craftsmen will create more stunning dimensions and as a result, directly impact the brilliance and sparkle that comes out in the ring.

The most common grading scale for diamond cuts range from "Excellent" to "Poor" with "excellent" being the highest rating possibly and "poor" being the lowest.

CLARITY

While some minor flaws may not be visible to the naked eye, flaws affect the clarity of the diamond and are considered when determining quality. Graded on a scale of "flawless" to "imperfect," stones are examined at 10x magnification for any sort of imperfection.

Below, is the standard grading scale for GIA-certified diamonds.

Flawless diamonds are considered very rare, and are priced accordingly. For budget conscious shoppers, keep in mind that minor flaws can be hidden away under a ring's settings or might not be noticeable at all. It really is up to the shopper to determine what they value most from a diamond.

COLOUR

One of the most obvious indicators of price and quality, colour, also drastically impacts the overall price.

It takes a good eye to spot the difference in color, but not to worry! Our knowledgeable staff will assist you through our exceptional assortment of diamonds.

On the standard scale, you'll notice "D" representing the most colorless of diamonds and "Z," those with some light yellow.

The grading scale is as follows:

CARAT

Last, but not least, shoppers must consider the literal weight of the diamond, in carats. Many people assume that the larger the carat, the "bigger" a stone is, and that's not necessarily the case.

Keep in mind that each of the four c's can affect the price of the diamond. Diamond price will typically increase with larger weights, but since the other c's are taken into account when determining price it is possible to find two diamonds of equal carat weight, with different prices. Figuring out what you value most from a diamond (cut, colour, clarity, carat), is the first step in deciding what the right diamond for you is.

Shop With Us!

Shopping with us is conveniently easy with our Saskatoon, Saskatchewan showroom servicing the Prince Albert, Regina, Moose Jaw, Yorkton, Warman, and surrounding areas with not only top quality loose diamonds, but premium grade engagement rings, wedding bands, and fine jewelry.

For customers interested in more information about our fine jewelry please visit our " Contact Us" page to email us, call us at 800.209.9154 to speak to one of our jewelry specialists, or even better yet, come visit us at our wonderful Saskatoon, Saskatchewan showroom and see the dazzling collections for yourself!