Jewelry 101

Shopping for jewelry can be an overwhelming process. Industry terms such as “cut,” “clarity,” “color” and “carat weight” are often thrown around and can be intimidating if not fully understood.

We’re here to make it easy. Below is a brief tutorial on the four “Cs” pertaining to diamonds, and their definitions:

Cut: Cut is the only “C” that is controlled by man. All other characteristics of a diamond were determined by Mother Nature billions of years ago. The Cut of a diamond can be the single most important characteristic to determine the diamond’s value, because the Cut unlocks the beauty that lies within each diamond. And the quality of the Cut determines how the diamond will reflect and refract light. In other words, the better the quality of the Cut, the more brilliance and luster the diamond will possess—and the more valuable the diamond.

Clarity: When diamonds were formed billions of years ago under intense heat and pressure, traces of other gemstones, minerals and gases may have been trapped inside the diamond as it cooled. These elements may turn up as tiny specks or crystals inside each diamond. These specks are called inclusions and are often referred to as Nature’s fingerprint or a diamond’s birthmark. The fewer and less visible these birthmarks, the more valuable the diamond.

Color: While to the naked eye, diamonds may appear colorless, gasses and other elements present at the time of formation result in slight traces of a yellow or brown hue in each diamond formed. Many times the color differences are so slight that they can only be detected by comparison to other diamonds.

Carat Weight: Although commonly thought to refer to the actual size of a diamond, a carat is actually a standard unit of measurement that defines the weight of a diamond. One carat is equivalent to 200 milligrams. Carat sizes are also expressed as “points,” with a one carat diamond equaling 100 points, a three-quarter carat diamond equaling 75 points, a one-half carat diamond equaling 50 points, and so on. Since a carat is a unit of measure and not a size, two diamonds of the same carat weight may appear to be different sizes. And larger diamonds are much more rare than smaller diamonds—hence the reason for their increased value.

We invite you to click on the links below for further information concerning diamonds, gems and watches:

Or better yet, simply stop by. We’d be happy to spend time further explaining jewelry terms and their meanings, so that you’re completely comfortable with any purchase you’re about to make—whether it’s with us, or another jeweler.