If you are thinking about purchasing diamond jewelry, it is important to understand diamond clarity and color, since this is such a major investment. You hear all the time about the four Cs of diamonds: carat, cut, clarity, and color. The first two are easy to understand. Carat is how much the stone weighs (and in many opinions: the bigger, the better). Cut means what shape you want the diamond in.
Many people think that diamonds all have to be colorless in order for them to be considered a diamond. This is not true. Others think that there is something wrong with diamonds if they do have color, making them less valuable. This is also untrue. Most could not begin to explain what clarity is. A lot of first-time buyers get in trouble by not understanding. How else can you be expected to know if you are paying a reasonable price?
When diamonds have color, it is because there are imperfections in the diamond. These imperfections contain different elements, like boron and hydrogen, which give it its specific color. Nitrogen is really common, making diamonds brown or yellow. Further defects could warp that color and make it look green.
Colorless diamonds are very common. This is what we all think of when someone first mentions a diamond. The next most common are brown and yellow, followed by blue and green. The next are black and white (white meaning opaque, not colorless), and then those on the pink, purple, and orange color scale. The rarest of all are red diamonds, which are almost non-existent. The decision is a personal one: would you rather have a very rare blue diamond that is rare because it is imperfect? Or would you prefer a more perfect and easily recognizable colorless diamond? Some do not like colored diamonds because people mistake them for other gems.
Clarity is the hardest for people to tell because it requires a degree of training and a jeweler's magnifying glass. Most people think clarity just refers to how sparkly a diamond is. This is partly the case, but it technically means how many defects are both on the inside and out.
The stone is looked at under strong magnification. If there are major flaws, it could impair the stone's ability to shine well. It could even put the stone at risk for breaking. There is a grading system for diamonds, which a jeweler should be able to explain. Your diamond should come with a full range of paper work which can identify its four Cs fully. You need to understand these things in order to be able to value appropriate prices and decide if you should insure the stone.
If you want to locate a stunning diamond ring, pendant, or bracelet, you need the details to make the best choice. Knowing how to locate the best diamond clarity will help you choose an exquisite diamond.
