Engagement Rings: What to Look Out for in the Four Cs
When you are looking to purchase engagement rings, there is a lot to consider. After all, it’s representative of your love and dedication, so it has to be every bit the picture of perfection. Aside from the look, price, and size, four words mean equally as much, and they refer to the diamond.
Cut, clarity, carat, and colour are four Cs of which you should be aware. Here’s what you need to know.
Cut
When referring to the cut of a diamond, it’s easy to assume that it means the shape and how manufacturers cut it. However, the cut means the reflective quality and how dazzling that diamond looks in engagement rings. The best-cut diamond is one that has light beaming up from the centre of the stone, as opposed to being dull and lifeless. If a diamond “leaks” light, and has minimal sparkle, it has been poorly cut.
Clarity
Most diamond engagement rings you come across at your local jeweller’s aren’t entirely perfect – but they are to the human eye. However, the diamonds can often contain small marks known as inclusions which dot around the diamond. While they aren’t visible to you, they can affect the clarity rating of the diamond. A diamond classed as “internally flawless” with no inclusions has a rating of FL-IF, while an imperfect diamond with large inclusions is SI-3.
Carat
Carats refer to a diamond or precious stone’s weight. Typically, the more the diamond weighs, the more expensive it is to purchase. It’s also different from the gold measuring scale which refers to the purity of the gold as opposed to its weight.
Colour
Not every diamond in all engagement rings is entirely colourless. In fact, the colouring can vary from yellow in colour through to entirely clear. Typically, the more colourless the diamond, the rarer and more expensive they are to purchase. Jewellers measure a diamond’s colour on a scale from D through to Z. The closer you are to D, the more valuable your diamond.
When it comes to purchasing the perfect engagement rings for you and your bride-to-be, there are so many things you must take into consideration. However, always make sure the four Cs are at the top of your list. Pay attention to colour, cut, clarity, and carat, and you can be on your way to buying engagement rings you and your significant other can treasure forever.