Diamond monopolist De Beers has introduced a classification system for the purpose of comparison between diamonds. The four C’s represent the cornerstones: Carat (weight), Clarity (transparency), Colour and Cut (shape) .
Carat
A carat is one fifth of a gram. A carat itself is again divided into 100 points. The weight also determines the value but stones of equal weight may vary considerably in value.
Clarity
The clarity of a diamond refers to its transparency. The more transparent, the higher the price. The transparency scale varies from FL (flawless) to I3 (several impurities).
Colour
The less coloured, the more valuable the diamond is. This applies to colour shades ranging from transparent (rare white) to yellow, but not for colours such as red or green. The latter belong to the ‘fancy category’.
Cut
When judging the shape, the extent to which a diamond has been cut to its greatest advantage and the finishing of the surfaces (facets) are important. From this the hand of a master cutter can be recognised. An ideal cut offers the maximum reflection of entering light.
