The international “4C” Standard classifies diamonds as follows:
Carat: | The weight of a diamond is measured in carats. One carat corresponds to 0.2 grams |
Colour: | A diamond should be completely devoid of colour. White light shines through the stone without internal resistance, with the light emerging from the other side reflecting all the colours of the spectrum. (More at the bottom of the page) |
Clarity: | Most diamonds have minimal inclusions. The fewer and the smaller they are in size, the easier it is for light to penetrate through. (More at the bottom of the page) |
Cut: | Following the GIA’s 4C diamond chart, a diamond can have 32 facets cut into the crown above the girdle arranged in a radial pattern with another 24 facets in the bottom part (pavilion). A small percentage of the light falling on a diamond is deflected, with 80% penetrating the surface refracting outwards. Depending on the cut, the “fire” or prismatic refraction of light is created as the stone is manipulated. In badly-cut diamonds, the light leaves the diamond from its bottom, and only partially. The stone appears dull without hardly any sparkle or fire. The quality of the cut varies from: Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor |