The basics of Diamond grading

Diamond Grading is the grouping or arrangement of diamond qualities in relation to the 4Cs' of a diamond.
These are; cut, clarity, color & carat.
Certification has been recently added and a welcome addition it is!! So in effect, there are now 5Cs' in total.

The diamond cut shows off a diamonds fire and brilliance.

The clarity of a diamond shows the presence or lack of inclusions.....these are either carbon spots or small cracks.

The diamond color deals mainly with how 'white' or not it is. Whiteness being the lack of color ranging from grade 'D' being whitest and 'Z' being most Yellow.

The carat is a measure of a diamonds weight. 1 carat being equal to 5 grams or 100 'points'.
The more a diamond qualifies to the left of one or all of the categories above, the rarer and the more costly it will be.

A Diamond Certificate is a document showing the above diamond qualities i.e. cut, clarity, color and carat for any diamond you buy.

The certificate has to be issued by a recognised institute e.g. GIA.....Gemmological Institute of America. Or the American Gemmological Laboratory (AGL)

Grading is an important part of buying a diamond ring and we'll go in to detail to understand it better.