About Diamonds ...

Diamonds are graded by four main criteria - colour, clarity, cut and carat weight, known as the 4 C's. It is the quality of these 4 C's which will determine the value of the diamond.

A diamond's weight will have an effect on the price, with heavier stones being worth more per carat than a lighter stone. The quality of cut will also make a difference with a well-proportioned stone with good symmetry, having a higher value than a stone which cut shallow, deep or has poor symmetry.

Colour is a major factor in judging the value of any gem including diamonds. The standard by which diamond colour is graded today is the G.I.A. colour grading system. The grades start at 'D' for pure white stones through to 'Z' for yellow stones. Below is a chart with each grade with a brief description.

The clarity of a diamond is another crucial factor in determining the price. Inclusions are natural impurities or fractures within a stone. The more visible the inclusions the lesser the value. Internally flawless stones are extremely rare and command a high price. The table below is a rough guide only to the clarity of diamonds. It should be noted that every diamond is different and will contain its own unique inclusions.

	IF - Internally Flawless Free from internal flaws.
	VVS1 - Very Very Small Inclusions 1 Light coloured dot-like inclusions and/or small fringe inclusions on girdle, barely visible to an experienced eye through a 10x loupe.
	VVS2 - Very Very Small Inclusions 2 Light coloured dot-like inclusions and/or small fringe inclusions on girdle, barely visible to an experienced eye through a 10x loupe.
	VS1 - Very Small Inclusions 1 Very small inclusions which are difficult to be seen by an experienced eye through a 10x loupe. This may include small light clouds or cracks on the girdle or small dot like crystals.
	VS2 - Very Small Inclusions 2 Very small inclusions which are difficult to be seen by an experienced eye through a 10x loupe. This may include small light clouds or cracks on the girdle or small dot like crystals.
	SI1 - Small Inclusions 1 Small inclusions easy to see by an experienced eye through a 10x loupe. These are inclusions which are visible as soon as the stone is viewed with a loupe.
	SI2 - Small Inclusions 2 Small inclusions easy to see by an experienced eye through a 10x loupe. These are inclusions which are visible as soon as the stone is viewed with a loupe.
	P1 - Piqué 1 Several inclusions can bee seen at once by an experienced eye through a 10x loupe. Inclusions do not diminish the brilliance.
	P2 - Piqué 2 Larger inclusions which can be seen with the naked eye and diminish the brilliance somewhat.
	P3 - Piqué 3 Numerous & large inclusions easily seen through the crown with the naked eye and diminishing the brilliance considerably.