The 4Cs—color, clarity, cut and carat weight—are the globally accepted standards for assessing the quality of a diamond. A diamond's quality depends on a combination of all the four Cs. However, Tiffany & Co. believes the most critical of these is diamond cut.
Flawless is the top grade in the GIA Clarity Grading System. Diamonds graded Flawless don't have visible inclusions or blemishes when examined under 10-power (10X) magnification by a skilled and experienced grader. As clarity increases, and if all other value factors are equal, diamond price per carat also increases.
What are the 3 diamond types? The 3 types of real diamonds that exist are mined diamonds, lab grown diamonds and fancy coloured diamonds.
Red diamonds are the rarest and some of the most expensive in the world. Also known as Fancy Reds, they come in a variety of shades ranging from orange-red to brownish red. Majority of the world's red diamonds come from the Argyle Diamond Mine in Australia.
1. Kohinoor- Priceless. The most expensive diamond in the world, the Kohinoor has been given a priceless status due to its uniqueness and brilliance. The diamond is 105.6 carats and is placed right on top of the UK sovereign's crown.
Red diamonds are the most expensive colored diamonds. Currently, only about 20 to 30 exist in the world. These diamonds derive their red shade during the mining formation. The process is uncommon, explaining why red diamonds are rare and extremely small in size.
Most diamonds will reveal blue florescence under a black light; therefore, you'll see a medium to strong color of blue, which means the diamond is real. If you don't see the blue color and instead see a slight green, yellow or gray fluorescence then this usually indicates the gem is not a real diamond.
The G diamond is one of the most popular near colorless grades because it has the least amount of color and is inexpensive when compared to colorless options. H diamonds are the first to have a noticeable hue, as the subtle yellow tone starts to become visible to the naked eye.
diamond, a mineral composed of pure carbon. It is the hardest naturally occurring substance known; it is also the most popular gemstone. Because of their extreme hardness, diamonds have a number of important industrial applications.
1. ROUND BRILLIANT DIAMOND. By far the most popular cut is the Round Brilliant, with it's fifty-seven perfectly aligned facets it's brilliance really does out-shine the others. Total internal reflection is the key here; light travels through the stone giving optimum sparkle and scintillation.
Since I3 represents the worst clarity, it covers a multitude of sins. Two diamonds of I3 clarity can differ greatly. For this reason, some jewellery manufacturers invented grades—for example, I4, I5, I6, I7 etc. But the GIA clarity scale ends at I3 for the lowest possible diamond clarity.
The most expensive diamond cut is the round brilliant because it wastes the highest amount of rough stone – around 60% on average – during the cutting process. This large quantity of discarded material means that consumers will pay for a larger stone than they end up with to help cover costs.
The diamond's cut is the most important diamond characteristic because when it is good, very good, or excellent, it is what makes your diamond sparkle and shows the diamond quality.
A good cut will result in a better sparkle. That's why cut is the most important of the 4Cs—if a diamond is poorly cut, no clarity grating, color grading, or carat weight will make up for it. The diamond will look dull and glassy.
The round brilliant cut is the most popular shape of diamond.
The highest color grade for a diamond is “D”. “D” color diamonds are very rare and not commonly found in traditional jewelry. Most diamonds used in jewelry have a slight presence of color. It is possible for diamonds to have a very high concentration of desirable color.
Champagne, gray, salt and pepper, chameleon, and black diamonds are actually less expensive than their white counterparts! All the other colors, however, are more expensive.
Compared to H color diamonds, G color diamonds are slightly more colorless. On average, a G color diamond's price cost more than H color diamonds. If looking to pick the ideal eco-friendly loose diamonds or the perfect cut diamonds for your jewelry, then Friendly Diamonds is the perfect pick for you.
Beyond being a perfect size (big, but not too clunky on your finger), the 1-carat diamond ring is a popular choice because it allows the wearer to adorn a ring with side stones, like a 3-stone ring, leaving room for extra diamonds to accentuate the center stone without overcrowding or overwhelming it.
Sometimes, tiny amounts of impurities in diamonds can cause them to glow or luminesce under UV light. UV diamond fluorescence occurs in about 35% of colorless (white) diamonds and can be faint or very strong. (Fluorescence is a type of glow that occurs almost immediately after exposure to UV light).
However, the best way to spot a fake diamond is to take it to a jeweler for thermal and electrical conductivity tests. This requires an expensive machine, but it can tell the difference between diamond and moissanite.
There are many gems that are more valuable than diamonds. Emeralds, sapphires, rubies, garnets, and alexandrite, just to name a few.
The average price of a 1 carat diamond is currently $4,540 (see price chart below). 1 carat diamonds can cost anywhere from $1,286 - $11,047 depending on the diamond's shape, color, clarity, and other factors. To see specific details on diamond pricing by shape see our 1 carat diamond prices table below.