Every single diamond is unique. Its beauty comes from its history, the craftsmanship that’s gone into it, and even its imperfections. Selecting the perfect diamond is a long journey for some. For others, their sparkling match speaks out to them straight away.
As your diamond purchase is individual to you, visit a diamond company that will take the time to talk you through your options. Here are some characteristics you might want to think about when choosing the right diamond for you.
Cut
The cut of a diamond is different to the shape. If you already know which shape you prefer (princess, round, oval, emerald etc.), then you’re already one step ahead! The cut refers to the symmetry, proportioning and polish of a diamond. In essence, it determines how brightly your diamond will sparkle.
There are five categories that a diamond can be graded into. They are:
- Excellent: Only 1-3% of diamonds can be graded as excellent. They offer maximum fire and brilliance, as they’re able to reflect almost all entering light.
- Very good: For superior fire and brilliance, choose a shallow diamond cut. They can reflect light almost as well as excellent diamonds, but are available at a lower price.
- Good: Can reflect most of the entering light and give off an above average sparkle. This encompasses 25% of diamonds.
- Fair: Reduced fire and brilliance because most of the light escapes from the sides or bottom of the diamond.
- Poor: 35% of diamonds fall into the poor/fair cut. They appear dull because they’re cut too deep or too shallow. This causes entering light to strike the pavilion facet and escape through the bottom of the diamond.
Colour
The colour of your diamond is another important characteristic. Navigating the categories can be complicated, considering they range from grade D – grade Z.
To simplify things, grade D describes an absolutely colourless diamond and is of the highest colour grade. The most expensive diamonds are placed in this grade. As you pass from grade K – grade Z, diamonds have a more noticeable colour and the cost decreases.
Clarity
While cut and colour can be seen by the naked eye, you need a microscope to properly examine a diamond’s clarity. Clarity describes the imperfections, or inclusions, of a gem. A flawless diamond has no visible blemishes, even under a 10x magnification, although only 1% of diamonds are of a flawless grade.
Further down the scale, I3-I2 graded diamonds contain inclusions that are visible to the eye, and are cheaper to buy.
Carat Weight
Carat is the standard unit we use for weighing diamonds. It doesn’t refer to the size, as a smaller carat weight can actually appear larger in size if it has a higher cutting grade. The larger the weight, the higher the price of the diamond.
Remember the three C’s listed here when embarking on your adventure to choose a diamond. ADC are the expert diamond company that offers a personalised service and an exquisite range of diamonds. Schedule an appointment with our specialists to discover your perfect diamond
