The 4Cs
of Diamonds
At Spence, we like to focus on you as much as we like to focus on our diamonds – so you’ll be educated when confidently selecting that perfect, unique diamond that truly represents your one-of-a-kind love.
You see, when you visit a Spence showroom, you become the star of the show. A certified Diamond Consultant will happily explain how we grade diamonds, how we go above and beyond to help you find your special diamond, how we dig deeply to help you land the price and quality range you’ve established.
When it comes to diamonds, Spence is your definite go-to. We use the international grading system developed by the Gemological Institute of America.
The 4Cs
of Diamonds
It consists of the Four Cs: carat, clarity, colour and cut. Each of the Four Cs has an impact on the quality and price of a diamond.
Cut is absolutely the MOST important of the four Cs. Value is determined by colour, clarity and cut, but BEAUTY and BRILLIANCE is determined by cut. Every Spence diamond is cut correctly. This is our non-negotiable standard.
CARAT
Carat refers to a diamond’s weight. There are 100 points in a carat, so a half-carat diamond is 50 points. But contrary to what most people think, carat weight is NOT a reliable indicator of size.
*Drawings not to scale.
CLARITY
Clarity refers to the number of natural markings found inside every diamond. When these markings cannot be seen with the naked eye, they do not affect the brilliance or beauty. With the I1-2 diamonds the markings are visible to the naked eye. Above the I1 grade, the markings are no longer obvious to the naked eye.
COLOUR
Generally speaking, the whiter the diamond the more valuable it is. If this colour scale were a price graph, at ‘D’ the price would be very high then it decreases as we move into the RSTU range. However, when the diamond’s colour becomes so yellow that it’s actually rare, the price moves up again. We pay a premium at both ends of the colour scale because of the rarity, not necessarily because of the beauty of the diamond. When diamonds are used in jewelry, it’s wise to choose something in the colour range H-I. Once you set an ‘H’ or an ‘I’ colour into your ring, it will look very white. A ‘D’, which is slightly whiter than a ‘G’ coloured stone, can cost twice the price of an ‘I’. Yet when you place the ‘D’ into a ring mount, it picks up the surrounding colour of the mounting and ring, so you don’t see much difference between these at all despite the price difference.
CUT
Carat weight isn’t a reliable indicator of a diamond’s apparent size. That’s because of the fourth C – Cut. Cut is very important to us here at Spence. Cut determines a diamond’s beauty and brilliance.
Sadly, most diamonds are cut to whatever profile will yield the heaviest weight from the rough crystal. This is why so few diamonds sparkle like they should. A correctly cut diamond looks like it has tiny mirrors on the bottom. Light comes in through the top, ricochets and bounces off all the mirrors, then explodes through the upper surface, giving you all the beauty of an exceptional cut. Every Spence diamond is cut correctly, and this is our non-negotiable standard.
Your diamonds, your choice.
Buying a ring doesn’t have to be like buying a ring. We have the largest collection of diamond jewelry in North America. Please visit one of our Spence showrooms to view our complete collection. Our Diamond Consultants look forward to asking you the right questions to help you narrow your selection.