by Brad Morgan

A diamond has long been treasured as the ultimate symbol of lasting love because of it’s purity and ageless beauty.

Whether you have experienced buying diamonds for engagement rings before or not, you may be unsure as to why one is worth $3000 while another one is only worth $300. What goes into determining the price of a diamond?

The grading system for diamonds is based upon four different elements. Firstly, size will play a large role in the price. This is referred to as the “carat weight,” and it is determined on a 100 point scale. The larger the carat weight, the higher the value.

Carat size may push the price up, but only slightly if there is no clarity. Several facets determine clarity on both an internal and external basis. Internal aspects, dubbed inclusions, and external aspects, dubbed blemishes, all contribute to the overall clarity score.

The quantity, type, location, measurement, and tint of its inclusions, or internal facets, as well as its blemishes, or features on the surface, all factor into the clarity. The clarity ranges from the rank of ‘pure,’ meaning no flaws, to ‘heavily included,’ meaning that it is seriously damaged.

These differences are due to the cooling process of the diamonds against other materials. Lack of clarity is a lack of perfection. A diamond is forever, and no one wants to be stuck with an imperfect one forever; therefore, this impacts the price.

Color is the next element that affects price. Although clarity is important, there are special cases where under certain conditions underground a diamond may have taken on a certain coloration that actually increases its value.

Diamonds range in color from a designation of “D” to “Z”, with “D” being no color at all, and “Z” being a diamond with a color that is deep enough to be very noticeable to the human eye.

Lastly we need to understand the effect of the cut on pricing. The quality of the cut may not be as easy to evaluate for an inexperienced buyer as some of the other factors, but it is nevertheless a critical element as it gives the diamond its sparkle.

“Fire” is the ability to flash and flicker upon sight. Cut varies from “excellent,” followed by “good,” “average,” “commercial,” and then irregular. If the diamond is not dazzling, the cut is most likely very poor.

Understand the 4 elements that make a diamond a special and precious gem: carat, clarity, color and cut. Knowing the difference between a dud and a dazzling diamond will be the difference between money spent poorly and money spent with wisdom.

About the Author:
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