Learn about diamonds Chimera Design Lowell Michigan

The value of diamonds can seem confusing at first glance. The overall point to bear in mind is that you are paying for RARITY. Larger diamonds are fewer in number and so they cost more than smaller ones. Please take a few moments to review the information we have here about the Four C's of diamond buying. Our purpose is to make you more comfortable with your diamond purchase.

Because we strive to keep our overhead low, which results in lower prices for you, we don't keep a lot of diamonds in stock. However, we have access to two of the largest diamond inventories in the US and we have a source for Certified Canadian diamonds as well, so we can find the perfect diamond for your situation.

Carat - The easiest of the four to understand. The “carat” is a measure of weight. The larger the diamond is the larger the carat weight figure will be. Many times you will hear the term “points” in reference to diamond weight. If you think of 1 carat as 1.00 dollar, then a ¾ carat diamond is .75 cents or 75 “points”. It is expressed as .75 ct. When you see ".ctw" after a weight it means that more than one diamond adds up to a total combined weight of three quarters of a carat. CTW means "carat total weight".

It is important to understand that the value of diamonds increases exponentially. By that we mean that a one carat diamond (1.00 ct) can cost much more that simply twice the price of a half carat diamond (.50 ct) even though it weighs twice as much. .

Cut - This word can be a simple reference to the shape of a diamond. This is the easiest part of “cut” to understand. The shape and the number of facets cut into the diamond affect the “sparkle” or the diamonds ability to capture and reflect light. The most common shapes that diamonds are typically cut into are: Round Brilliant, Marquise, Oval, Pricess (or Square), Emerald, Trillion, Radiant, Pear, Heart, and Asscher.

There are many other cuts available, but these 9 are the most common. More round diamonds are sold than any other shape. The characteristics of this cut, including the number of facets - 58, give it a great amount of sparkle and shine which is why it is consistently the best seller.

The other aspect of “cut” is a reference to the skill of the diamond cutter when shaping and polishing the diamond. There are sets of idealized proportions for each shape that help to make one diamond stand out from another. For instance, you might have two round diamonds of similar carat weight, color and clarity, but one of them looks much brighter - much livelier in the light - than does the other. The one that outshines the other was cut and polished with the idealized proportions in mind.

This is what jewelers call “the make” of a diamond. The make of a diamond can influence the price and it can be a very hard thing to quantify. One VS2 E round diamond does not always equal another VS2 E round diamond! The light in the well cut example is reflected back through the top for maximum visibility and fire, while the light in a poorly cut diamonds will disperse out the sides or down through the bottom of the diamond.

Polish and symmetry are very important factors in the overall look of a diamond and are graded as Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor.

Clarity - at Chimera we use the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) clarity and color scale. Clarity is expressed in the grades you see in parentheses (FL, IF, etc.). Clarity is always determined using 10x magnification, a jeweler's loupe or eyepiece is usually a 10x magnifier. Clarity ratings are generally based on the internal characteristics (inclusions) and the external characteristics (blemishes, etc) of a diamond. Flawless diamonds are at the top of the heap as far as price is concerned.

Flawless (FL) - to a trained eye using 10x power there are no inclusions or external marks. Richard Burton bought Liz a flawless diamond. Flawless diamonds are few and far between and that is reflected in their price.

Internally Flawless (IF) - no inclusions visible under 10x. The diamond can have a slight blemish (something on the surface of the stone) and be an IF.

Very, Very Slightly Included (VVS1 & VVS2) - Extremely difficult for a trained eye to spot the inclusions. In a VVS2 diamond the inclusions are slightly more visible than VVS1. There are two levels of the following 2 classifications as well.

Very Slightly Included (VS1 & VS2) - difficult for the trained eye to spot with 10x magnification.

Slightly Included (SI1 & SI2) - easier to see the inclusions. Most SI1 stones and above are always “eye clean” in that you cannot see any inclusion or blemish without magnification. With some SI2's and diamonds rated below them, you can begin to see the imperfections without magnification.

Imperfect (I1, I2 & I3) - very easy to detect imperfections with or without magnification. Diamonds in these categories are considered promotional. Some diamonds in the I3 designation are at risk to mount into jewelry because they can crack and break apart easily.
Please note that many people in the jewelry industry recognize an “SI3” designation. It falls between SI2 and the Imperfect stones. GIA does not grade anything SI3, however some other Laboratories and appraisers recognize this grade and it is quite common to see diamonds with this grading.

Color - this category should be called LACK of color. Because the less color visible in a diamond, the more valuable it is with the exception of fancy colored diamonds - those with a deep yellow, pink, green or blue coloration. The GIA color scale begins with the letter D and proceeds through the alphabet. Diamonds with colors falling in the D, E, F range are more rare and therefore are more expensive than those in the N,O,P range. In addition to the specific colors, there are also ranges of color expressed below. Typically the “color” which shows itself in diamonds is yellow, brown or a combination of the two.
D, E and F - considered colorless. G, H, I and J - considered near colorless. K, L and M - considered to show faint color. N, O, P , Q & R - very light color. And the scale continues to Z.

Most people start to easily detect the color in diamonds below the L classification. The differences between one or two color grades can be miniscule, but many people clearly see a difference when comparing a difference of 3 or more grades.

Summary: All of the four C's factor into the price of a diamond. It is possible to spend from $1,000.00 to over $20,000.00 for a round diamond that weighs 1.00 carat! The $1,000.00 price tag represents a poorly cut diamond with a clarity grade of I3 and showing the color M. The high end of the price spectrum would reflect a Flawless, perfectly proportioned D color diamond. And there are a lot of diamonds in between those extremes. Cliff can work with you to find the carat size, color, clarity and cut that is just perfect for your situation.

If you have any questions about anything you have just read, then please give

Cliff a call at 1-616-897-9480