Okay, so you want to evaluate whether that polished diamond is really worth a small fortune, but you don’t know where to start. Luckily for you, a mnemonic device has been invented to make it easier for you to remember what you need to know about the evaluation process. Just keep the four C’s in mind – carat, clarity, color and cut – and you will have ascertained the gem’s most important characteristics.
Carat – The carat is simply the unit used to measure the mass of the diamond. The carat unit of measurement is equivalent to 200 milligrams, and it can be subdivided into 100 points. But don’t confuse carat with karat with a k, which is used to measure the relative purity of an object made from gold.
Clarity – No diamond is made up solely of the carbon atom, every stone contains trace amounts of other elements, which manifest as internal flaws that decrease the clarity of the stone. How clear a diamond is can be assessed with this category.
Color – Diamonds in especially bright colors – called fancy colored diamond – are generally worth more than clear or colorless diamonds. But with those exceptions aside, diamonds fetch a higher price is they retain fewer traces of coloration. An alphabetical scale is used to measure a diamond’s hue.
Cut – Unlike the previous three C’s, this one is a result of human intervention. By hacking off pieces of the original rough diamond, a jeweler creates straight facets that reflect light, increasing the gem’s beauty. The more skillful the cut, the greater the amount of light returned.
