The Perfect Diamond - What To Look For

Once you know the 4 C's you'll have somewhere to start when searching for a diamond.

I am a firm believer that a high priority when choosing a diamond is the quality of the cut.

But it's perfectly fine if you are more interested in getting the biggest stone possible for your money. If that is the case then I can also help you locate a specific diamond that will suit you best. 

Having said that, here are the four factors which combine to determine the quality and ultimate value of a diamond.

Diamond Color Grading

Completely colorless diamonds are rare and highly valued. In recent years the amount of "D" diamonds which were mined came to about 750 per year. that is to say the typical engagement ring size clear diamonds (sized 1 carat to 1.39 carats) which were dug up in the entire world.

Diamonds that display a very, very slight trace of color when viewed against a white background are labelled G, H, I and J with J diamonds being the most affordable. Most diamonds graded G, H, I, J, even K and L display hardly any color when in a setting (in a ring, bracelet, or other jewelry). The further down the alphabet you go the more color. With diamonds that are very small, such as half a carat, the color is not  very noticable, though this will depend on the shape that it is cut into.
The majority of diamond buyers end up going for diamonds that are graded G, H, I and J.

One percent of buyers insist on getting a D. These diamonds are real stunning.

You will hardly ever find a D which is not also cut to perfection with an "Excellent" cut grade.

Diamond Clarity Grading

A diamond, when it was formed deep in the earth, may have trapped other small particles.
These elements, or crystals got included in the pure carbon as it became compressed. These small trace elements can be made of actual diamond of different color, crystal, or some other trace element. The inclusion may be visible to the naked eye or may require magnification. Grading labs note how much the inclusions affect the clarity of a diamond and this gets noted on the grading report during examination in a grading laboratory. A blemish is also something that may affect the clarity of a diamond. A blemish is usually a reference to something on the surface. Often these can be cleared by polishing. This can be done by a jeweler or a diamond cutter. Diamond cutters are usually referred to as diamond manufacturers.
When a diamond expert in a movie examines a diamond with his loupe and pronounces “Flawless” he is actually using the correct term for the purest, clearest grade of clarity. This could also be referred to as “Internally Flawless”. Diamonds deemed “Flawless” or “Internally Flawless” will be highly prized valuables.
These will be labeled FL or IF.
The level of clarity just below “Flawless” receives the labels VVS1 and VVS2. Even looking through a 10x magnification loupe you will not detect any flaws in VVS1 and VVS2 diamonds unless it is being examined by a trained professional. Flaws appear as tiny specks and are usually referred to as inclusions. A blemish usually is a reference to an external scratch that would have to be cleared by polishing done by a jeweler or diamond cutter.
VVS stands for Very Very Slightly Included.
Then there is the VS1 and VS2 which also look flawless to the naked eye and a professional diamond grader would still need a loupe to detect any flaws, and those flaws would still be hard to see.
VS stands for Very Slightly Included.
SI1 and SI2 and some SI3 diamonds will be sometimes be flawless to the naked eye, though a few slight inclusions may be detected unaided or with a 10x magnification loupe.
SI stands for Slightly Included.
I stands for Included.
I1, I2, and I3 are not of much interest to the online jewelers as few online buyers want those. However these are common in malls and smaller jewelry shops.

Diamond Cut

The shape of the diamond is called the cut. When referring to the workmanship of the diamond cutter’s work the word “cut” will also be used. The cut determines how light is carried to the beholder’s eye.
Modern cutting brings out the best in a diamond. As each diamond is unique and will be cut with the intention of getting the best value out of the stone. This may involve cutting away blemishes and inclusions, or cutting it in such a way so the inclusions do not detract from the diamond’s brilliance in any significant way. The quality of the cut contributes to a stone’s overall beauty.
The quality of the cut, or “make” will vary for each stone and are graded from “Good”, “Excellent”, to “Ideal Cut”, the last one being the best, and of course the most valuable. The Ideal Cut returns the light back out, whereas diamonds cut with too much depth, referred to as a deep cut, will bounce the light that shines into it out to the side. A shallow cut will bounce the light down at an angle and therefore neither of these look as brilliant.
Here is the most commonly selected cut called a “round brilliant”, along with names of the different parts of a diamond.

Round Brilliant: “Anatomy” of a cut diamond

Diamond Carat

Diamond weight is measured in carats. Not to be confused with karat, the measurement of gold’s purity.
Carat is the diamond weight measurement, and a very tiny weight measurement too. Ancient measurements were all based on the weight of a specific number of a certain grain, often wheat. Diamond weight, it was decided sometime in the distant past, would be measured with carob seeds. The word carat comes from the word carob. The carat was established as 200 milligrams at the beginning of the 20th century. Earlier in history there were various systems in use which considered a carat to be up to 205 mg.
The current carat is ¹/₅ of a gram.
It is the same as ¹/₁₄₂ of an ounce.
So a 5 carat diamond weighs one gram. And a 142 carat diamond weighs very close to one ounce.
There is a smaller measurement than the carat: Points. There are 100 points in 1 carat.
If you buy from some unknown anonymous auction seller and think you are getting a 1 ct and the price looks too good to be true its actual weight might actually be 0.95 ct. Diamonds are not sold at a discount, so if it is exceptionally cheap, then it warrants closer examination. In this case the vendor is not following the FTC rules which state:
• If the number in the thousandths place is less than 5, drop it and make no changes. A diamond that weighs 1.684 cts. should be stated as 1.68 cts.
• If the number in the thousandths place is 5 or more, drop it and increase the number to the left of it by 1. A diamond that weighs 1.686 cts. would be rounded to 1.69 cts.
The reputable dealers follow the more stricter guidelines set by the World Federation of Diamond Bourses.
The World Federation of Diamond Bourses and a number of organizations including GIA only round up to the next hundredth if there is a 9 in the thousandths place.
So a stone that weighs
1.768 cts. would be rounded off to 1.76 cts., but one that weighs 1.769 cts.
can be rounded up to 1.77 cts.

All these things combine to give a diamond its value. There are just a few things to remember and you'll be guaranteed to find a real stunner. Cut grade, color, then clarity, are generally considered to be the order of importance when choosing a very sparkly diamond. If you have a very clear diamond but it is cut poorly then it won't shine. On the other hand if you have a diamond which is a little lower on the color scale it can still look good if it has an Excellent cut grade.

If you are not sure where to start please send me a message with details on what you are looking for. I’ll be glad to help, and this is a completely free service. Send your email to: