The 4Cs Of A Diamond
Buying a diamond isn't as simple as some may think. There are multiple factors that conclude the beauty of a diamond and they are widely known as the 4Cs. Clarity, Cut, Carat and Color.
CLARITY
The clarity of a diamond is deduced by how significantly or insignificantly included the diamond is based on the GIA(Gemological Institute of America) clarity scale. With these beautiful stones being formed naturally, they tend to have natural 'scratches' inside of the stones which in turn affects the clarity. The less flawed the diamond is, the clearer it looks and the more expensive it is. Although most of these inclusions can only be seen by a professional through a diamond loupe, the fire and brilliance of the included diamond could be significantly decreased causing less light refractions and sparkle. To avoid purchasing a dull looking diamond or overspending on a perfectly clear one, people normally shop for diamonds within the 'VVS1-VVS2' clarity range since it is generally clear enough for the naked eyes.
At ELLA, our diamond simulants are lab made under precise conditions and fall within the 'FL-VVS1' clarity range ensuring intense shine and clarity.
CUT
The cut of a diamond refers to the facets, symmetry, dimensions and reflective qualities of the diamond. To find one's ideal diamond, we should start by choosing the shape of diamond (round, heart, pear etc) then work toward finding that shape in the most appealing cut. The main factors impacting a diamond's cut quality are
- Proportions: the ratios and sizes of the diamond’s depth, width and table
- Symmetry: Precision of the facets, mirrors, windows and steps
- Polish: the shine and glow of the diamond surface
At ELLA, we offer round Hearts & Arrows cut diamond simulants for maximum light performance as well as round brilliant cut ones for the traditional look.
CARAT
Carat = Weight of a diamond. People often misunderstand that carat denotes the size of a diamond which is not necessarily true because a larger diamond may turn out to be the same weight as a smaller one. This all depends on the way the diamond is cut. Diamonds with a poorer cut (deep cut or thick girdle etc) will maintain their heavy weight but 'hidden' in the base of the diamond with less surface on top so they look smaller. Of course one would love to purchase a diamond of a preferred size without having to shortchange the cut and clarity of a diamond and hence a larger diamond could potentially burn a hole in the wallet.
With proper research and high standards in production and manufacture, ELLA is able to offer large carat diamond simulant jewelry pieces at an incredibly reasonable price. Nothing you can't afford, check out our largest carat piece Rochelle at a whopping 3.9ct.
COLOR
The most important of the 4Cs, the color of the diamond. This refers to how colorless it is and people tend to avoid purchasing anything beyond 'I' to avoid the yellow and dull look to the diamond. Diamonds within the 'D' to 'I' range, are perfectly white and differ only in tone and the difference is the diamond's brightness, not a hue. Diamonds beyond Z-grade are called "fancy," and their value increases with the color strength. Diamonds occur naturally in almost every hue: red, green, pink, blue. They are the rarest and command astronomical prices.
To ensure top notch beauty of our colorless diamond simulants, ELLA only source for stones within the 'D' to 'F' range on the color scale. We do also source for fancy colored diamond simulants such as fancy light pink as seen on our Perry Jane huggies.