| To celebrate, to commemorate, to reward, to | | | | inclusions, they can help identify individual |
| romance...there are many reasons to buy a | | | | stones. And thirdly, they provide scientists |
| diamond. When making an investment in | | | | with valuable information about how diamonds |
| jewelry, especially diamonds, it is important | | | | are formed. Cut Many think of cut as the |
| to employ the 4 Cs: Color, Clarity, Cut and | | | | shape and style of a polished diamond, but it |
| Carat weight to ensure value and | | | | also refers to a value factor - the |
| appreciation. The Gemological Institute of | | | | proportions, symmetry and finish of a |
| America established the 4 Cs of diamond value | | | | diamond, often called "make" in the diamond |
| to help diamond professionals describe and | | | | trade. A diamond with a "good make" is |
| classify diamonds. When taken together, the 4 | | | | bright, fiery, symmetrical and sparkles with |
| Cs help in evaluating a finished diamond. | | | | the light. There is more than one way of |
| Color Many people think of diamonds as | | | | cutting a diamond to make the most of its |
| colorless, but in reality, truly colorless | | | | optical properties. Cutting a diamond to |
| diamonds are quite rare. Most diamonds used | | | | produce the maximum return of light depends |
| in jewelry are nearly colorless with faint | | | | on the relationship between three critical |
| yellow or brown tints. Such nearly colorless | | | | proportions - table size, crown angle and |
| diamonds fall in the normal color range and | | | | pavilion depth. Jewelry makers can combine |
| are graded by their relative lack of color. | | | | these in a variety of ways to yield equally |
| In fact, a diamond that is considered to have | | | | bright round brilliant cut diamonds. Bottom |
| "fine color" has little or no visible | | | | line: a well-cut diamond will direct more |
| coloration. The grading system ranges from | | | | light through the crown, or top of the |
| color "D," which indicates a rare colorless | | | | diamond. Carat Weight The carat weight of a |
| diamond, to color "Z," with yellow | | | | diamond has to do with the basic measuring |
| characteristics. Diamonds outside the normal | | | | unit of diamonds. One carat equals .200 grams |
| color range are called "fancy-colored" and | | | | (or 200 milligrams) Some weights are |
| come in virtually any color imaginable. Red | | | | considered "magic sizes" - half carat, |
| and green are the rarest fancy colors, | | | | three-quarter carat. While visually there's |
| followed by purple, violet, blue, orange and | | | | little difference between a 0.99 carat |
| pink. Yellow and greenish-yellow diamonds are | | | | diamond and one that weighs a full carat, the |
| more common, but still considerably rarer | | | | price differences between the two can be |
| than diamonds within the normal color range. | | | | significant. The aspect of carat weight that |
| Clarity Like color, clarity is a key factor | | | | surprises people is the relationship between |
| in determining a diamond's value. Diamonds | | | | rarity, weight and value. It is not always |
| have internal features called "inclusions," | | | | easy to understand why a 2-carat diamond |
| as well as surface irregularities, termed | | | | might be worth more than twice as much as a |
| "blemishes." Together, inclusions and | | | | 1-carat diamond of similar clarity, cut and |
| blemishes are referred to as clarity | | | | color. The concept is pretty simple: Large |
| characteristics. Clarity is the relative | | | | diamonds are rarer than small diamonds. The |
| absence of clarity characteristics. Blemishes | | | | scarcer a diamond is, the higher its worth. |
| refer to the cuts or nicks on the outside of | | | | So a larger stone doesn't just cost more, it |
| the diamond, while inclusions occur inside | | | | also costs more per carat. |
| the diamond, such as mineral crystals trapped | | | | |
| inside the diamond. While some clarity | | | | Lewis Jewelers is proud to carry the full |
| characteristics may have a negative influence | | | | line of Pandora Jewelry. Pandora bracelets, |
| on diamond value, some can have a positive | | | | Pandora charms and Pandora beads are only a |
| effect as well. Firstly, they help | | | | part of the collection. For more information, |
| gemologists separate diamonds from | | | | Lewis Jewelers, 2000 West Stadium Blvd., Ann |
| lab-created diamond simulants. Secondly, | | | | Arbor, Michigan, 48103, 877-88-LEWIS or visit |
| because no two diamonds have exactly the same | | | | the website. |