Home

   

 

As a service to you, we’ve answered some basic questions about diamonds in this guide.
Please contact us for more information or to inquire on a specific jewelry request.

What do you want to know?

What are the 4 - C's of diamonds?

What is a carat?

What does a diamond look like when it is first mined?

  1. What are the 4 — C’s of diamonds?
  1. You may have heard of the 4 — C’s of diamonds, but you may not be certain what they are or what they mean. The first "C" is "Cut" and indicates the type and quality of the diamond cut. See the diagram below for the different types of cuts. Ideally, diamonds should be cut so that light is reflected from one facet to another for maximum brilliance.

    The second "C" is Color. For examples of color differences see below. You may think of a diamond as white, but most have a slight trace of color. The less color, the more valuable.
    D
    Colorless
    		  
    K
    Faint Yellow
    		 
    Light Yellow
    E
    		  
    L
    		   S-Z
    F
    		  
    M
    		    
    G
    Near
    Colorless
    N
    Very
    Light Yellow
    		 
    H
    O
    I
    P
    J
    Q
     
    R

 

The third "C" is Clarity. See below. Our staff can help you see the
clarity of a diamond with our binocular microscope.

FL No blemishes or inclusion at 10X VVS2 In VVS2, inclusions are still very difficult to see.
IF No inclusions, and only insignificant blemishes. VS1-VS2 Minor inclusions ranging from difficult to somewhat easy to see.
Typical inclusions: small included crystals and feathers, distinct clouds, and groups of pinpoints.
VV1-VV2 Minute inclusions difficult to see at 10X SI1-SI2 Noticeable inclusions that are easy (SI1) or very easy (SI2) to see. Inclusions are often centrally located and noticed immediately; they may be eye visible.
Typical inclusions: included crystals, clouds, feathers.
VVS1 In VVS1, they are extremely difficult to see, visible only from the pavilion, or small and shallow enough to be removed easily by repolishing. I1,I2,I3 Obvious inclusions that are often easily eye-visible face up.
Typical inclusions: included crystals and feathers.

 
  1. The fourth "C" is Carat, which may range from very small to nearly 4 carats. See carat weight for more about this category.
  1. What is a carat?
  1. Carat weight is the standard unit of weight for diamonds. One carat equals 1/5 of a gram, or .007 of an ounce. Carat weight is further divided into decimals. For example, exactly _ of a carat is a .50 carat and expressed as 50 "points." If the quality of the diamonds is the same, as weight increases so does value.
  1. What does a diamond look like when it is first mined?
  1. When diamonds are uncut or "rough," they look like glassy pebbles. It is only careful skill and care that brings the raw diamond into a beautiful finished piece.
 
 

 

J. O. Endris Jewelers
314 Pearl St., New Albany IN 47150
812.944.3133

e-mail : diamonds@endrisjewelers.com