If you're about to propose, congratulations from everyone at Bert Levi Family Jewelers! to your significant other, congratulations! If you’ve started your search for the perfect engagement ring, you’ve probably heard a lot about the Four C’s. What are they? What do they mean? Most importantly, how can knowing that help you?
There was a time when there was no consistency in the jewelry industry. Although jewelers understood what made a diamond good or bad, there were differing opinions and no standards. So, an engagement ring you bought from one jeweler for two thousand dollars might cost four thousand from another jeweler.
In the 1940s, Robert M. Shipley, the founder of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), codified the 4C’s of diamond quality. The Cs represent color, clarity, cut, and carat weight. He did this to teach gemologists but his system of analyzing diamonds is now used globally to determine gem quality. All right… here’s your quick explanation of how to use the Four C’s.
COLOR Color is measured on a scale of D (transparent) to Z (yellow.) Here is your tip. Go by what you can see. It is nearly impossible for the naked eye to distinguish between D and E or for that matter, between D and H if the diamond is mounted on a ring. However, there’s a dramatic price difference the less transparent you buy. If it looks the same to you, why pay a great deal more?
CLARITY Clarity is simply what blemishes exist (internal or external) on a diamond. They range from flawless to included. These are all determined under magnification, though. So, most people (even trained jewelers) couldn’t see the difference between a VVS1 diamond (very very slightly included) and an S1 diamond (slightly included.) Everyone can tell the difference in price, though! Again, let your eyes be the judge.
CUT The Cut scale goes from excellent to poor. Ultimately, the cut will tell you how effectively a diamond will reflect the light. It’s based on the “perfect” cut for round brilliant diamonds. The truth is there’s not a great deal of difference between Excellent, Very Good, and Good. It takes a jeweler to really notice, so save money there, too.
CARAT WEIGHT This C is simple. It’s the size of the diamond. The tip is equally simple. Think on ones and halves. So, One carat. One and a half carats. Two carats. Two and a half carats. Got it? Now buy slightly lower. If you want a two carat diamond, get a 1.9 carat diamond. If you want a one carat diamond, get a 0.9 carat diamond. You can save thousands of dollars and you won’t see the difference. At Bert Levi family jewelers, we believe you don’t have to be super-wealthy in order to fall in love so it doesn’t make sense for only the super-wealthy to get a lovely and elegant engagement ring. Hopefully, these tips will help you save some money when you’re in the market for your ring. If you’re searching for an engagement ring in San Diego, reach out or drop by our La Jolla showroom. You’ll be glad you did.
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