Round-Shaped Diamonds - The 4 C’s
Round-shaped diamonds (sometimes also called round-cut diamonds or brilliant round diamonds) are pretty much what you’d expect — these are round diamonds, beautiful and symmetrical with a large flat table and at least 58 individual facets. But while all round diamonds share certain attributes, not all are of the same quality. To determine the overall value of a stone, we look at the 4 C’s of diamonds: cut, clarity, color, and carat.
Cut — Although the two terms are often used interchangeably, there is a difference between the “cut” and “shape” of a diamond. The shape of a diamond (round, in this case) refers to its physical appearance, while the cut refers to how well the diamond’s features interact with light. Clean Origin only offers diamonds at or above a “good” cut quality. Good, very good, excellent or ideal are the four available options. When choosing the cut of a round diamond, keep in mind that the higher the grade the cut is, the more brilliant it will appear. It is also important that the cut is neither too deep nor too shallow; a well-proportioned cut reflects light flawlessly.
Clarity — Clarity, which refers to the number of inclusions and blemishes in a stone, is particularly important in round diamonds. Each diamond will have a different amount of these flaws, ranging from SI2 (having the largest amount) to VVS1 (having the least). Because of the shape and cut of a round diamond, any flaws will stick out; a high level of clarity is one of the most important factors to consider when you pick out your stone.
Color — In this case, color refers to the absence of color in a diamond. Clean Origin only offers diamonds from J to D, though there are diamonds with color from Z (containing the most color) to D (containing the least color). Color is hard to detect in round diamonds because they reflect so much light, which means that as long as it looks good to you, your significant other will love it, too.
Carat — While you can choose whichever color you like, round diamonds look their carat size, especially if you place them in solitaire settings. Unless you decide to make your round diamond appear larger by placing it in a halo, you’ll need to choose a larger carat size to wow your bride-to-be. However, by purchasing a lab-grown diamond, you can save 20-30% on the price—enough to substantially increase carat size.
LEARN ABOUT THE 4 C'S
