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Assessing Diamonds - the 4 C's
The value of a diamond is determined according to the 4’Cs – i.e., Colour, Clarity, Cut and Carat.At Manohar Lal Sarraf & Sons all diamonds are certified according to these parameters by the internationally reputed International Gemological Institute. Matching this certificate with the Rappaport International price list will give you the exact value of the diamond you buy.
Colour
Diamonds are not all white but vary from exceptional white to tinted white. The more white it is the more valuable it is. The whiteness of a diamond is graded as per the table below:
From the table it is clear that D or exceptional white will be the most valuable and the value will decrease through E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L up to M to Z.
Most diamonds of gem quality vary in shade from colorless to yellow.
To determine the correct color, all submitted diamonds are compared to an internationally accepted master set of stones, the color of which ranges from D, or colorless (the most sought after) to Z, the yellowest.
Other colors occur in diamonds such as brown, orange, pink, blue, etc. The most intense of these shades are determined as "Fancy" colors and referenced on the IGI Diamond Report.
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Clarity
Clarity of a diamond means the absence of marks or blemishes called inclusions in it. So less the marks the more valuable the diamond. So diamonds are graded from Internally Flawless to Imperfect 3.
At MLSSJ Pvt.Ltd. we keep diamonds certified by IGI of IF to VS clarity only.
In order to grade the clarity of a diamond, it is necessary to observe the number and nature of any internal characteristics in the stone as well as their size and position. This Diamond clarity Grading is carried out using the IGI scope and a loupe 10x under the experienced eye of laboratory gemologists. A diamond is said to be "Internally Flawless" when it presents no internal defects under 10 x magnifications.
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| Internally Flawless | Very Very Slightly Included | Very Slightly Included |
| Free from internal blemishes visible under 10x magnification (small external details tolerated). | Inclusions and/or external blemishes very difficult to locate under 10x magnification. | Inclusions and external blemishes difficult to locate under 10x magnification. |
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| Slightly Included | Imperfect | Imperfect | Imperfect |
| Inclusions and external blemishes easy to locate under 10x magnification. | Inclusions and external blemishes hard to locate with naked eye. | Inclusions and external blemishes easy to locate with naked eye. | Heavy inclusions very easy to locate with the naked eye. |
Carat
Carat is the standard unit of measure of the weight of a diamond and 1 carat is equal to 200 milligrams. Carat is also expressed in points where 1 carat diamond equals 100 points or cents.
Needless to say, the higher the carat or weight of a diamond, the more valuable it is.
The weight or size of a diamond is measured in carats (ct.). A carat is 0.2 grams and there are 100 points (or 200 milligrams) per carat. With an accuracy of 1/100,000 ct, the IGI scales provide a highly precise diamond weight and this weight is specified on the Diamond Report to two decimal points.
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| Carat | 0.05 | 0.10 | 0.20 | 0.25 | 0.30 | 0.40 | 0.50 | 0.70 |
| Øm/ m | 2.5 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 5.2 | 5.8 |
| h m/ m | 1.5 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.5 |
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| Carat | 0.90 | 1.00 | 1.25 | 1.50 | 1.75 | 2.00 | 2.50 | 3.00 |
| Øm/ m | 6.3 | 6.5 | 6.9 | 7.4 | 7.8 | 8.2 | 8.8 | 9.4 |
| h m/ m | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 5.3 | 5.6 |
Diamond Certification
A diamond is certified according to these 4 C’s, so when you buy a diamond always look for a certificate from a reputed institute like International Gemological Institute (IGI) that looks like this:
At MLSSJ Pvt.Ltd. all our diamonds are certified by IGI, so you can be sure of their quality.
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Cut and Shapes of Diamonds
The value of a diamond depends to a large extent on its cut as it is only a reflector and the skill with which a diamond is cut determines its brilliance. So the third parameter of grading a diamond is its cut, with the various points of the cut judged :At MLSSJ Pvt.Ltd. we have only diamonds certified as Excellent or Very Good Cut.
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| Reflection | Refraction | Dispersion |
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 When a ray of light touches the surface of a diamond, part of the light is reflected back, this is external reflection. |
The rest of the ray penetrates the stone and is then reflected toward the center of the diamond. This is known as refraction. |
The ray of light is reflected to the surface, where it is seen as the colors of the spectrum. This is known as dispersion. |
| Execution of the design, the precision of the cutting details and the quality of the polish are collectively called the finish. |
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MLSSJ Pvt.Ltd. Shapes
Diamonds come in various shapes and most jewellers offer a wide variety that, include:
- Round diamonds
- Emerald diamondsv
- Heart diamonds
- Princess diamonds
- Pear diamonds
- Radiant diamonds
- Ascher diamonds
- Marquis diamonds
- Oval diamonds
A diamond’s shape is its actual geometric shape and has nothing to do with the cut. A cut of a diamond is how a diamond cutter cuts any diamond to create angles and planes that let in and reflect the light within in the stone to give a diamond its brilliance. The cut of a diamond adds to its value but the shape of a diamond hardly has any bearing on its cost.
Choosing Diamond Shapes
With all the possibilities of diamond shapes, how do you go about choosing one? Well chosing a shape is entirely a matter of personal preference and what looks pleasing to your eye. For an engagement ring, many women prefer the traditional round shaped diamond, while the more romantic may prefer a heart shaped one.
Also, if a woman has long, slender fingers, a pear shaped diamond, marquis, or oval shape will suit her. Small hands typically look best with round shaped or princess shaped diamonds.
Most Popular Diamond Shape for Engagement Rings
Even though there are a wide variety of shapes available, the most commonly purchased diamond shape for engagement rings is the round diamond. Round diamonds are considered the “classic engagement ring”, and the stones are often set in yellow gold or platinum. In fact, any diamond shape other than round is considered to be a “fancy” shape, since the round diamond is so popular.
| Emerald cut: Rectangular or square step cut with diagonally cut corners and two, three, or four rows of facets parallel to the girdle on the crown and pavilion. It is frequently used to fashion emeralds. If the shape is square, it is called a square emerald cut. |
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Pear: Variation of the brilliant cut with a pear-shaped girdle outline and 56 to 58 facets. Also called pendeloque or teardrop. |
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Heart: Modified brilliant cut in the shape of a heart, with a table, 32 crown facets, 24 pavilion facets, and a shield-shaped culet. |
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| Marquise: Elongated, boat-shaped brilliant cut with curving sides and pointed ends, developed in France in the 1740s. Believed to have been named after the Marquise de Pompadour, a mistress of King Louis XV. Also called navette. |
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| Oval: Brilliant cut with an elliptical girdle outline; also called an oval brilliant cut. Obsolete barrel-shaped cut, circular in section and covered with triangular facets. |
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| Princess: popular square or rectangular modified brilliant cut usually with 57 facets (21 crown facets, 32 pavilion facets, and four girdle facets) but occasionally a rectangular or square brilliant with 144 facets. Many variations are on the market. |
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