The world of diamond engagement rings can get a bit complicated, and the variety of options and combinations of quality standards can be confusing. It can be hard to know if you are getting a great deal or just a poor diamond, so we’ve put together a series of articles to help guide your journey and give you the confidence to ask the right questions as you meet with jewellers on your search for the perfect engagement ring.
What Are the 4 Cs of a Diamond?
The first stop has to be the 4Cs of diamonds. This refers to the cut, color, clarity, and carat weight of a diamond, which are the key elements that define both a diamond’s beauty and value. Understanding these essential factors will guide you in selecting the perfect diamond for your engagement ring, ensuring it sparkles with timeless elegance and captures the essence of your love story. Let us uncover the impact on quality (and price) behind each of the 'Cs' and help you make an informed choice for your dream engagement ring.
The Diamond's Cut
In the world of fine jewellery, the cut of a diamond holds a dual significance. It not only defines the shape of the stone, whether it be the classic round brilliant diamond, the graceful oval diamond, or a vintage-inspired emerald cut diamond (all shapes other than round are referred to as fancy cuts). This term also refers to the technical precision that brings out the diamond's inherent brilliance. The diamond’s cut influences how light travels through the stone, so a superior cut enhances the diamond’s radiance, ensuring a breathtaking display of light and fire that captivates the eye.
When selecting a diamond, you should always ask about the quality of the diamond’s cut. It is as important as the colour of the stone, and just like colour, the quality is certified on a sliding scale. We recommend you look for terms such as Ideal or Excellent for round cuts and Excellent or Very Good for fancy cuts. Also, ensure aspects such as symmetry and polish are at this high standard as this will drastically impact the finished look of the diamond. At Chupi, we only source our round brilliant stones with a triple-X grade in their cut, meaning Excellent Cut, Excellent Symmetry, and Excellent Polish to ensure the highest possible quality of diamond for your engagement ring.
The Diamond's Colour
The most desirable ‘colour’ for engagement rings, whether mined diamond or lab-grown diamond, is actually no colour at all. A completely colourless stone is one that carries no reflection of any other materials, elements, or flaws in the stone, and as such, it is the most desirable of all diamonds. This absence of colour allows the diamond to reflect light more brilliantly, enhancing its sparkle and allure.
Colour is graded on a scale of hues starting with the highest grade ‘D’. The scale is graded down the alphabet towards Z. The differences in colour of a diamond graded D, E, or F are very difficult to determine with the naked eye and all are excellent options for engagement rings. Colours below this can vary in slight tones of pinky-brown to greenish-yellow tones and are less desirable. So when selecting a diamond for your engagement ring, ensure to ask about the diamond’s colour grade.
At Chupi, we only source diamonds in colours D, E, or F to ensure a stunning, pure appearance that truly captivates.
The Diamond's Clarity
Clarity measures the purity and rarity of a diamond by evaluating the presence of internal inclusions or external blemishes. Whether a mined diamond or a lab-grown diamond, the fewer the imperfections, the higher the diamond's clarity grade. These tiny characteristics, often invisible to the naked eye, can affect how light passes through the diamond, influencing its overall brilliance.
Again, diamond clarity is graded on a scale from Internally Flawless (IF) down to very visible inclusions and blemishes (I3). Grades of clarity between IF and VS1 are generally invisible to the naked eye and a great quality choice when selecting a clear diamond for your engagement ring. Choosing a diamond with excellent clarity will enhance the brilliance of your engagement ring, making it truly extraordinary.
At Chupi, we only source diamonds with clarity grades of VS1 or above, ensuring a stunning engagement ring that maximizes the stone’s natural sparkle and beauty.
The Diamond's Carat
In the world of Chupi Fine Jewellery, carat weight is a testament to the diamond's size rather than a measure of love. The carat simply signifies the diamond’s weight, akin to units like kilos or pounds. One carat weighs approximately 0.2 grams, which is pretty tiny!
For engagement rings, the carat weight plays a crucial role in the diamond’s presence on the finger. When considered in combination with the grades of colour, clarity, and cut, it will affect its value. For example, it is rarer to find a Flawless clarity in D colour stone in a large carat - this is why these diamonds can become incredibly expensive the larger you go.
We recommend you focus on the cut, colour, and clarity of your diamond before considering the carat weight, as different cuts will look very different, even though they may weigh the same.
While selecting the ideal combination of cut, carat, clarity, and colour for your engagement ring will ensure a dazzling centrepiece that embodies both brilliance and significance, we believe at Chupi that your engagement ring is an incredibly personal choice. It is a ring made forever and should be chosen for a beauty that speaks to you, that represents you and your values, and that makes your special moment truly unforgettable.
