The 4 C's
The Classic 4C’s is a great starting point for understanding
Diamond Grading and were originally developed by DeBeers
as a way to simplify diamond quality categorization
for the inexperienced consumer.
Learn about the Classic 4C's
Fey & Co. and Forevermark
Going Beyond the 4 C's
As respected International Diamond Buyers for over 30 years, Ed and Tom understand the difference between standard diamonds and those with beauty that goes Beyond the 4C's.
Advanced Beauty ... Beyond the 4C's
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How to Buy a Great Diamond
Explore some important FAQ's on how to buy an extraordinary diamond.
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By any standard, the best in the business, in-store or online.
We have great confidence in the beauty and quality of our diamonds. And, we want you to be confident that your selection and purchase will be enjoyed for a lifetime. That’s why we are proud to offer an exceptional Diamond Guarantee that is second to none.
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Fey & Co. Classic Diamond Guarantee for online purchases Fey & Co. 100% Diamond Guarantee for an in stock diamond purchased in one of our diamond studios.
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The 4C's of Grading Diamonds
CUT: The most important C
Light Performance
Imagine Leonardo da Vinci starting with a block of marble and creating a masterwork. The truly great diamond cutter’s artistry of cutting and polishing a diamond is similar to a sculptor. Ultimately, the artisan attempts to cut a diamond to artistic proportions making the best use of light and maximizing its inner beauty, strength and visual size.
A diamond’s fire and sparkle that give it life are maximized with great cut allowing light to refract from one facet to another then dispersed back through the top of the diamond in a burst of color and rightness. When poorly cut, precious light escapes through the bottom facets.
Cut
Visual Size and Brightness Difference
There are millions of cutting combinations that will maximize the beauty of countless types of rough diamond crystals. And millions more will ruin the diamond’s potential beauty in an attempt to make the diamond weigh more so that it can be sold as a “bigger” diamond (weighing more, but visually not as big).
Comparing two diamonds with the same carat weight, the artistically cut diamond will have BOTH superior beauty and larger visual size than the standard cut diamond which was cut just to weigh more for advertising purposes.
Complex? Technically yes. But, in person you will find it rather simple to see the di¬fferences for yourself.
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Color
Color is the natural body color visible in a diamond, and is determined completely by nature ranging from colorless to yellow. Basically, the less color, the more rare and higher the price (except for natural fancy colors, like pink or intense yellow diamonds) Color is expressed in a single letter. The highest diamond color available on the market is “D”; the diamond color you should choose is what you personally prefer.
A note on all diamond grading: DeBeers (the parent company of Forevermark) developed the 4C’s. Unfortunately, the scale is used with varying levels of accuracy causing significant distortions in the market. We believe that the Forevermark Lab is the best, most accurate and complete source of grading followed by the GIA Lab.
Clarity
Clarity is an indication of a diamond’s purity. When a rough stone is extracted deep beneath the earth, tiny traces of natural elements are almost always trapped inside. These "inclusions" are sometimes referred to as "birthmarks" because they are formed naturally and are unique to each diamond.
Skilled diamond artisans (diamantaires) painstakingly examine each rough stone to determine how to cut it in order to eliminate or reduce inclusions and flaws. Their goal is to craft a diamond of the highest clarity possible. The fewer, smaller, and less noticeable the inclusions, the more rare and higher the price of the diamond.
Clarity, like color and cut, are subjectively graded placing a high premium on the diamond seller's skill and integrity.
Carat Weight
The weight of a diamond is expressed in carats. In most cases when holding other factors constant, the higher the carat weight category, the greater the per-carat price of the diamond. A carat is a unit of weight equaling 1/5 of a gram. Diamond weight is subdivided further into smaller units commonly referred to as points. A point is equal to .01 carat. A one carat diamond is made up of 100 points.
"The size of a diamond" is not really the carat weight. The visual size is how big the diamond looks and is heavily determined by the artistry of the diamond cutter. A poorly cut 1.00ct diamond can be smaller looking (and not as bright and lively) than a magnificently cut .80ct diamond!
Learn more about Advanced Diamond Beauty and Going Beyond the 4C's