How to measure a CARAT in DIAMONDS
Diamonds and other gemstones weighed in metric carats: one carat is equal to 0.2 grams about the same weight as a paperclip. (Don’t confuse carat with Karat, as in “18K gold,” which refer to gold purity.)
Just as a dollar is divided into 100 pennies, a carat is divided into 100 points. For example a 50-point diamond weights 0.50 carats. But two diamonds of equal weight can have very different values depending on the other members of the Four C’s: clarity, color and cut. The majority of diamonds used in fine jewelry weight one carat or less.
Because even a fraction of a carat can make a considerable difference in cost, precision is crucial. In the diamond industry, weight is often measured to the hundred thousandths of a carat, and rounded to a hundredth of a carat. Diamond weights greater than one carat are expressed in carats and decimals. (For instance, a 1.08 ct. stone would be described as “one point of eight,” or “one of eight.”) Buy from top designer and jeweler in downtown Los Angeles LA Diamond Mart California
COLOR of a DIAMOND
The GIA Color Scale extends from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown). Although many people think of the quality diamonds as colorless, truly colorless diamonds are actually very rare. Most diamonds used in jewelry are nearly colorless with tints of yellow or brown.
Color grades are determined by comparing each diamond to a master set. Each letter grade represents a range of color and is a measure of how noticeable a color is. Fluorescence some diamonds can emit a visible light when exposed to ultraviolet radiation, but fluorescence is not a factor in determining color or clarity grades. However, a description of its strength and color is provided on GIA Reports as an additional identifying characteristic. Buy from the best jeweler in downtown Los Angeles.
CLARITY OF DIAMONDS
Clarity Scale includes eleven clarity grades ranging from flawless to I3. Because diamonds form under tremendous heat and pressure, it is extremely rare to find a diamond that lacks any internal and external characteristics. These characteristics are a byproduct of its formation and help gemologist separate natural diamonds from synthetics and simulates, and identify individual stones.
The CUT of a DIAMOND
Diamond Cut Scale ranges from Excellent to Poor. GIA provides a cut quality grade for standard round brilliant diamonds that fall in the
GIA D-to-Z color range. A polished diamonds’ beauty lies in its complex relationship with light: how light strikes the surface, how much enters the diamond, and how, and in what form light returns to your eye.
The result is a magnificent display of three attributes. Brightness is the combination of all white light reflecting from the surface and interior of a diamond. Fire describes the “flares” of color emitted from a diamond. Scintillation describes the flashes of light you see when the diamond, the light, or the observer moves.
A polished diamond’s proportions affect its light performance, which in turn affects its beauty and overall appeal.
Diamonds with fine proportions, symmetry, and polish optimize their interaction with light, and have increased brightness, fir, and scintillation. Buy from the best jeweler in downtown Los Angeles
