Diamonds have been prized symbols for status and allure for many centuries. With it’s visual beauty and durability, indeed the word diamond itself is derived from the Greek word ‘adámas’ meaning unbreakable, the popularity of diamond jewellery throughout the ages can be justified.
Diamond value is the determined by a combination of the famous 4Cs: clarity, colour, cut and carat weight.
The clarity scale ranges from Flawless (FL) to I3 (Included), and this is the value factor that consumers tend to focus on the most. In reality though, gem-quality diamonds rarely have inclusions that are visible to the naked eye. Major cost savings in the magnitude of thousands can be made by selecting an ‘eye-clean’ stone of SI clarity over an indistinguishable stone of VVS clarity.
The colour grading scale ranges from the alphabetical letters D (Colourless) to Z (light yellow/brown). Diamonds graded from D to I look colourless face-up and when set onto jewellery. Slight differences in colour can cause dramatic differences in price but the majority of people cannot distinguish between diamonds multiple colour grades apart as the differences are subtle and only really noticeable in diamonds with larger carat weights.
Carat weight refers to how much a diamond weighs; one carat is equal to 0.2 grams. In jewellery featuring more than one diamond, we often quote the total carat weight of stones set onto a piece.
Arguably most important of the Cs, is cut. This value factor influences the visual appeal of a stone and its beauty. How well a diamond is cut depends on its proportions, symmetry and polish which in turn affects its interaction with light. A well-cut diamond is bright and sparkly, interacting with light in such a way that may mask clarity characteristics and hints of colour. A high colour/clarity grade does not necessarily mean that the diamond is bright and sparkly. A diamond graded Internally Flawless (IF) and D colour can give insufficient light return and sparkle if cut poorly.
At Ismail Jewellery the diamonds we select are in the F-G-H colour, and VS-SI clarity range. We target the sweet spot where value for money is concerned without compromising on sparkle, brilliance and overall beauty of the stones.
