LOOSE DIAMONDS
One of the largest Diamond Databases of any UK Diamond Retailer
The most spectacular pieces of jewellery all begin with beautiful loose
diamonds. At Quality Diamonds we pride ourselves on being able to
source the highest quality loose diamonds from around the world.
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The Four C's
Put simply, there are four universally accepted characteristics that all
diamonds are graded by. They are known as the 4C's, and they are Cut, Colour,
Clarity and Carat weight. It is the combination of these four "C's" that
determines a diamond's value. By changing any of the characteristics, you can
dramatically affect the diamond's value, all other factors being equal.
The only one of the 4C's that is within our control is a diamond's cut. Cut is
the result of a craftsman's skill in transforming a rough diamond into a
breathtaking gem. A diamond has facets that allow light to enter it, become
refracted, and exit in a rainbow of colours. So it follows that a better cut
diamond does a better job of dazzling us with its beauty. Here's the 'secret'
to how a diamond sparkles:
As you can see, the diamond with the correct proportions does a more effective
job of refracting light out the top of the stone to your eye. The
less-than-ideal cut diamonds allow some light to become lost out the bottom.
A diamond's weight is measured in what is known as a 'carat', which is a small
unit of measurement equal to 200 milligrams. Carat is not a measure of a
diamond's size, since cutting a diamond to different proportions can affect its
weight. (The word 'Karat' is used to express the purity of gold, and is not
used in relation to diamonds).