The Four C's of Diamond Buying

Shopping for the perfect diamond engagement ring can be daunting, but here at Northeastern Fine Jewelry we are proud to try and help our friends and neighbors in the greater New York area find their perfect piece from among the many selections of engagement rings,wedding bands, timepieces, and fashion jewelry.

Additionally, we are excited to be able to offer comprehensive custom jewelry design options and one of the largest loose diamond selections in the area. To better assist you in shopping for any and all your special occasions, we have prepared this introduction to the all-important Four C’s of Diamond Shopping.

Not only are our diamonds GIA certified, but we make sure that every stone to be showcased in our gallery is a conflict free diamond. That is, they are all from reputable, honest sources that adhere to internationally recognized environmentally and socially conscious rules. The four c's are a general set of recognized rules to determine the value of a diamond, but most importantly we think shopping from an authorized retailer, such as Northeastern Fine Jewelers, allows guests to take control of the elements they think are the most important to them.

The Four C's of diamond shopping are:

• Cut
• Color
• Clarity
• Carat

1. Cut

While most people will associate cut with the actual shape of a diamond, more specifically, cut refers to the precision and facets that are found on the stone. Exceptional craftmanship will have cleaner cuts and therefore will create more brilliant facets. That is to say, the better the cut, the more that light works with the diamond to create more sparkle.

Diamond cut is measured on a Poor/Fair to Excellent scale.

2. Color

Color might be one of the easiest to understand, but somewhat hard to recognize. The most sought-after diamonds are of course, clear, colorless diamonds. These clearer diamonds allow the highest degree of light in and create more sparkle.

Color is graded on a D-Z grading scale with D being colorless and Z having some visible yellowing.

3. Clarity

The third C focuses on the internal flaws of the diamond. While some flaws are highly visible, even smaller abrasions, or inclusions, as they are called in the jewelry industry, lower the value of the diamond and ultimately affect the price. Depending on how apparent the inclusions are, their size, and their number, diamonds are judged and priced accordingly.

Clarity is graded on a Flawless to I₃ (Included level 3) scale with Flawless being the best and I₃ the most visibly flawed.

4. Carat

Last, consider carat. Most people tend to confuse carat weight with size, but for diamond shopping, carat refers to the weight of a diamond and not necessarily its apparent weight.

For diamond shopping, it is possible to find two stones of the same apparent size, with two different weights.

Together the four c's contribute to the pricing of a stone, but we always suggest customers speak to one of our jewelry specialists for tips and tricks to finding the stone to match their desires. For example, sometimes inclusions can be hidden away with pronounced prongs so simply because it has a lower grading doesn’t mean a stone cannot fit your needs.

Shop Diamonds With Us!

Shopping for your loose diamond is a breeze, here at Northeastern Fine Jewelers. Our jewelry experts are always happy to assist guests in finding exactly what they are looking for. For more information on our large selection of loose diamonds, check out our Diamond Buying Guide, call us at 1-855-795-NEFJ to speak to one of our experienced jewelers, or better yet, nothing beats browsing through the extensive selection of our diamonds in-store at our Schenectady, Glen Falls, and Albany, New York stores.