With 23 grades of color and 11 grades of clarity, selecting the right diamond can sometimes feel overwhelming. Our professional staff will help you to understand the basics behind the four C’s — cut, clarity, color, and carat weight — to ensure that you will be satisfied with your selection and assured that it represents the best quality and value without exceeding your budget.
Cut
One factor in diamond selection is how it is cut. The ideal cut would allow light to pass through the stone from one facet to the next then exit the crown. This allows the diamond to sparkle in any light to best show off its brilliance. If the cut is too deep or too shallow, the light will filter out of the stone rather than reflect through it. A mathematical formula is used to align the facets to all match one another and merge at the culet, or the point. The culet should be in the center of the diamond’s crown. Keeping the diamond symmetrical can play a crucial role in its brilliance.
Clarity
Clarity is determined by inclusions in or on the diamond that may or may not be visible to the naked eye. Flawless diamonds, both internal and external, are extremely rare. The fewer the inclusions the greater the value. Inclusions can affect the beauty of a diamond and does affect the value and price. All Lordo’s certified diamonds are graded for clarity by independent gem labs. Lordo’s has an in-house professional that examines all diamonds under a 10x magnification loupe to ensure the customer gets the best value and quality.
Color
To an untrained eye, diamonds appear colorless, yet most have a hint of color to them, with the most common color being yellow. To determine true color, the diamond is viewed from the side under balanced white light. It is compared to diamonds in a “Master Set” whose colors have been predetermined by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). A color grade is then assigned according to the diamond’s deviation from the truly colorless diamond.
Carat Weight
The weight of diamonds are expressed using carats, one-fifth of a gram or 1/142 of an ounce. One carat is divided into 100 points, so a diamond weighing ¾ carats may be described as weighing 75 points, or .75 carats. Diamonds are accurately weighed when they are loose, or free from any mounting on a calibrated scale. The higher the point rating, the higher the carat weight, which in turn increases the price.
