Diamond Quality Guide: 4Cs and More

 Diamond couple ring makes a great gift because it is often worn. Choosing the right style is important. Fine couple jewelry is meant to be worn, whether it's an enduring tennis-style bracelet, solitaire earrings or affordable wedding rings.

 Before making a purchase, you should research the attributes of a piece before making your decision. The best diamonds will keep your earrings, bracelet, rings, and necklaces looking elegant for years to come. If you are looking to buy natural diamonds, or lab-grown diamonds that look like them, a diamond quality guide will be the best place for you to begin your journey. This couple necklaces guide will help you learn the "4Cs" and other important considerations when buying these beautiful gems. Learn how to tell the difference between an optimal diamond and one that is less than ideal.

 Color, clarity, cut & carat are the 4Cs that determine diamond quality.

 Color

 Although most people think of diamonds as being white, they can come in a variety of shades and colors. The official color scale of the Gemological Institute of America is used to measure a diamond's hue. This scale grades diamonds from colorless, a completely clear and shining stone without color, to noticeable color (a stone with a slight yellowish tint). Diamonds that are closer to the colorless spectrum have the highest value and are rarer.

 Diamonds can be colored to match a particular style. White shades are undoubtedly popular indicators of diamonds' quality but they shouldn’t be the only factor. Canary yellow diamonds, for instance, are often regarded as the highest quality diamonds among their sunny-hued counterparts, and make an excellent centerpiece for a pendant or ring. Other colors can be added to diamonds by adding additional minerals or treatments. These include emerald, rose and even a deep green.

 Multi-stone settings are available in a variety of settings. While the solitaire engagement ring is a classic example, there are many other options. When choosing a colored gemstone, think about how it will interact (or not!) with the stones around it. As you design your perfect jewelry piece, consider how the stone will (or can!) interact with other stones. Do you want a central clear stone with touches of color around it? Would you like a subtle colored center stone with accent stones of darker colors at the edges? You can combine colored and uncolored gemstones in many ways. Don't limit your diamond- and diamond-alternative jewelry shopping to white stones.

 Clarity

 Geologically, the formation of mined stones is dependent on their bedrock. The structure can be fractured by variations in soil type, pressure and even certain treatments or cutting procedures used to create a diamond after it has been mined. These fractures are not visible unless the stone has been examined with a loupe or microscope by a professional. However, some are visible.

 Clarity grading is a way to rate the diamond's quality by determining how many inclusions are present.

 A diamond graded "FL" is "flawless," meaning that it has no visible flaws, inside or outside, when magnified 10x. These diamonds are rare and have high prices to match.

 The next two grades, VVS1 & VVS2, represent a progression of "Very Slightly Included" which is a term that describes a stone with minor flaws but are difficult to detect by a diamond grader.

 These grades are VS1 or VS2, which do not have the "very" prefix and stand for "Very Lightly Included". A trained grader can easily detect these inclusions under magnification. Untrained graders may be able to see one or two inclusions at this level, depending on how the stone is shaped and where it's located.

 The SI1 and SI2 are used to describe stones that have "Slightly Inclusions" and are easy to find under magnification. This part of the scale is where you can see flaws without using magnification.

 The I1, I2, I3, and "Included" stones are those that have flaws visible even without magnification. These flaws may affect the durability of the stone. It's important that you understand that these diamonds are not necessarily "bad", but simply speckled and flawed. Even I3 diamonds, depending on the intended setting, can create a stunning overall design.

 The diamond cutter will "work around" the inclusions or flaws by adding extra facets, or cutting the stone to a specific shape or size. This is done to minimize the flaws. Finding a mined diamond with a minimal amount of these issues and finding a skilled gem cutter to finish the stone is extremely difficult, which is why Couplesets(tm)alternatives are incredibly popular. Diamond simulants remove the inclusions and variables that cause flaws in mined gemstones. It is possible to create diamond alternatives with an Internally Flawless rating.

 Cut

 The cut of a diamond is a key factor in determining the quality of a diamond. The cut is measured using the GIA diamond cut scale which has six different grades. The quality of the cut can vary from Ideal to Poor depending on the way the diamond was physically removed from the stone. The cut of the stone determines how "sparkly", how high or how low the stone sits in a setting and its aesthetic qualities.

 The shape of the stone is another important factor that can be confused with the cut scale. The classic shapes of diamond rings are timeless and still popular. However, a new crop of trendy, modern shapes is slowly entering the market. Round Diamonds are the most popular stone shape. The "fancy shapes" category includes all other diamond shapes.