Maybe you have some old jewelry that you’re looking to sell, or you’re simply curious about how jewelers are able to appraise and evaluate the worth of those diamonds in your rings, necklaces or earrings. If so, you’re at the right place as we’re going to discuss the qualities that help determine the true value of a diamond.
The 4 Cs of Diamonds
The four most important factors that determine the value of a diamond are cut, clarity, carat weight and color.
- Cut: The cut determines how well light is reflected from your stone. If it’s poorly cut or has an unusual shape, you’ll lose some sparkle even if the other 3Cs are good.
- Clarity: The fewer imperfections in your diamond’s structure (called inclusions), the more expensive it will be — but don’t worry too much about this quality unless you’re buying an ultra-high-end piece! Most people will never notice an inclusion anyway.
- Carat Weight: This refers to how heavy your stone is; 1 carat = 200 milligrams (or about 0.007 ounces). Carats are measured by weight rather than size because all diamonds have different shapes and sizes; therefore comparing them visually would not be accurate enough.
- Color: It is the most important factor in determining the value of a diamond. The color scale ranges from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow), with each letter representing a specific hue and tone combination.
Different Types of Diamonds
Natural Diamonds
These are the most traditional, naturally occurring diamonds. Their clarity and colour qualities are unmatched and they are usually the most expensive types of diamonds.
Lab Grown Diamonds
With advancements in technology, we were able to create diamonds in laboratory situations. They have a benefit over natural diamonds since they are up to 50% to 60% cheaper than natural diamonds with experts predicting that they might rise up to 75% cheaper.
Treated Diamonds
A diamond that has been mined naturally but enhanced or manipulated in a lab to enhance its cut, clarity or color in a lab is known as a treated diamond. They are drastically cheaper than natural diamonds.
Natural Fancy Color Diamonds
These are extremely rare (1 in 10,000) natural diamonds. Hence, they are incredibly expensive. They come in a huge variety of colors with pink and yellow being the most popular.
Where to Sell Jewelry in Calgary
If you’re looking to sell gold or diamonds in Calgary, you need to keep a few things in mind. You need to find an experienced and knowledgeable jewelry specialist, who works with a transparent approach and can give you a fair price for your valuables.
Visit us at Smart Gold to sell or get an appraisal for your diamonds in Calgary. Our efficient and certified team combines modern technology and human expertise to make sure you get the best price in exchange for your possessions.
We can provide you with appraisals in minutes and you will leave our office with pure satisfaction and a great experience.
FAQs
1. What makes a diamond more valuable?
The rarity, and difficulties faced in mining, durability, cut, clarity, color, and carat of diamonds substitute for making a diamond expensive. The rarer the diamond, the more expensive it will be.
2. Which quality of a diamond is best?
According to the GIA Clarity Grading System, ‘Flawless’ is known to be the best diamond in quality. ‘Flawless’ diamonds don’t have any blemishes visible even under 10X magnifying power when graded by an experienced and knowledgeable grader.
3. What is the most affordable cut of diamonds?
‘Radiant cut’ diamonds are the most affordable cut in diamonds. They are square-shaped or rectangular-shaped and similar to a princess cut, but with eight sides instead of four.
4. Which is more important, the color or clarity of the diamond?
It depends on the shape of the diamond. For shapes like emerald, princess, and Asscher, clarity is more important while in shapes like cushion, radiant, pear and oval, color is of more importance.