Are you familiar with the four C's of loose diamonds? You may have heard the terms before, but do you really know what they mean? You don't need to run out to school and enroll yourself into classes to become a gemologist, but knowing the basics certainly is important, especially if you are considering buying a diamond anytime in the future.
Color, clarity, cut and carat weight are the four C's of loose diamonds. Everywhere you look online you can get a rundown on what these categories mean and how jewelers use them to determine the value of a particular stone. The Gemological Institute of America set forth these standards so jewelers everywhere can have a base line for comparing stones. Each jeweler has a set of master stones they compare all other stones to. The certified loose diamonds you see in the jewelry stores have all been rigorously observed under a microscope and also compared to these master stones in order to determine where they fall on each of the four scales for grading diamonds. Understanding the process of grading diamonds and the factors involved will also help you appreciate them more instead of just thinking they are shiny, pretty and expensive.
