Your diamond’s clarity profile is determined by the unique characteristics found within it.

Since no two diamonds are alike, nature has identified each diamond by its inclusions, or its fingerprints.

Generally, these inclusions are minute imbedded crystals or other minerals trapped in the diamond during its formation.

Diamond clarity is judged by the lack of inclusions. A diamond is termed flawless only if it has no internal inclusions or external  detriments visible under a standard ten-power jeweler’s loupe.

Flawless and internally flawless diamonds are exceedingly rare, and their worth is extraordinary.

Cut is the only human contribution to the diamond’s beauty. It is the most critical of the 4C’s because so much of a diamond’s value depends on
the diamond cutter achieving the ultimate brilliance.

A well-cut diamond will internally reflect light from one mirror-like facet to another and disperse and reflect it through the top of the stone. Each facet or plane of the diamond’s surface when properly placed, allows light to interact within the diamond and return to the eye as fire or brilliance.

Of the 4C’s, Carat Weight is the easiest to determine since all precious gems are weighed in carats.

Diamonds are accurately weighed only when they are loose or free from any mounting.  The universally recognized metric carat equals .2 grams or 1/142 of an ounce and is divided into 100 points.

Thus, a one-half carat diamond is 50 points or .50 carat. As diamonds increase in size, the price per carat increases exponentially.

Of the diamonds mined annually, at most only 10% are gem quality when cut and finished.  Thus, a diamond that weighs 2.00 carats will be more than double the price of a 1.00 carat diamond of the same quality.