Valley Jewelers

To establish a diamond’s quality, jewelers examine each of the 4C’s- cut, clarity, carat weight and color.  The combination of the 4C’s determines the value of a particular diamond.  For example, a colorless diamond is at the top of the Diamond Quality Pyramid in color ...but if it lacks clarity, is small or not well cut, it will be of a lower value.  The finest stones possess the rarest quality in each of the 4C’s, and are the most valuable.

Strive for a stone that offers the best combination of the 4C’s.  Knowing a diamond’s place in the Diamond Quality Pyramid will help you to make an informed decision.  Ultimately, you’ll discover the unique combination of the 4C’s that makes a particular diamond the right choice for you.  Its beauty and brilliance will capture the true sentiment of the occasion.

How to measure a Diamond’s value

The Diamond Quality Pyramid is a framework to help you compare diamonds.  While all diamonds are precious, those closest to the top of the pyramid - processing the best combination of cut, clarity, carat weight and color- are the earth’s rarest, most valuable and most beautiful to the eye.

Carat - The larger a diamond the more rare it is.  Larger diamonds are found relatively infrequently in nature, which places them at the rarest level of the Diamond Quality Pyramid.    What also makes a bigger diamond so desirable is that it shows off a stone’s fine color and cut, and therefore sits brilliance, to its best advantage.

A diamond’s size is measured in carat weight, and each carat is equal to 100 points.  A.75 carat diamond is the same as a 75-point  diamond or a ¾ carat stone. While larger diamonds are highly prized, diamonds of equal size may vary widely in  value and brilliance, depending on their qualities of clarity, cut and color.

Clarity- The purer a diamond, the more brilliant it is.  The greater a diamond’s clarity, the more brilliant, valuable and rare it is- and the higher it is on the Diamond Quality Pyramid.

Virtually all natural diamonds contain identifying characteristics, yet many are invisible to the naked eye.  Under the scrutiny of a jeweler’s 10x-magnifying loupe or microscope, natural phenomena- called inclusions- may be seen.  These are nature’s birthmarks, and they may look like tiny crystals, clouds or feathers.

Diamonds categorized as internally flawless reveal no such inclusions.  Flawless stones are at the peak of the Diamond Quality Pyramid and are treasured for their rarity and beauty. 

Diamonds with very, very small inclusions are graded as VVS 1 or VVS 2.

The larger the inclusion, the lower the grade and the  less rare the diamond. Inclusions that can be seen with the naked eye are graded I 1, to I 3. 

The number, color, type, size and position of surface and internal birthmarks affect a diamond’s value.  Major inclusions can interfere with the path of light that travels through a diamond, diminishing its brilliance and sparkle and therefore its value.

Color - The less color in a diamond, the more rare it is. Diamonds are graded by color, starting at D and moving through the alphabet to Z.

While most diamonds appear white, virtually all display barely perceptible tints of color.  Evaluating a diamond’s color for grading purposes is done by measuring the degree to which a diamond approaches colorlessness.  Although it is difficult for the untrained eye to see these minor variations, a jeweler can help demonstrate them by showing you diamonds side  by side.

Diamonds graded D, E, and F are more expensive because they are more rare and therefore are  highest on the diamond quality pyramid.  However, well cut diamonds with good clarity of all color grades can be equally dazzling, as it is the interplay of the 4C’s that determines each diamond’s unique beauty.

Cut- The better cut a diamond is, the more brilliant. A well cut or faceted diamond, regardless of its shape,  scintillates with fire and light- offering the greatest brilliance and value.

While nature determines a diamonds’ clarity. Carat weight and color, the hand of a master craftsman is necessary to release its fire, sparkle and beauty.  When a diamond is cut to good proportion,, light will reflect from mirror- like facet to another and disperse through the top of the stone, resulting in a display of brilliance and fire.

Diamonds that are cut too deep or too shallow lose light that spills through the side or bottom.  A result, poorly cut stones will be less brilliant and beautiful- and certainly less valuable- than well cut diamonds higher on Diamond Quality Pyramid.

What a Diamond means
                        - The enduring gift of love.

For centuries, men and women have found that the sparkle and brilliance of a quality diamond expresses their deepest emotions and symbolizes their enduring love. 

Yet with many, beautiful diamonds to choose from-and no two alike- how do you pick the right diamond while spending wisely? 

The Diamond QUALITY Pyramid and the 4C’s, along with the guidance of a trusted jeweler, will lead you to the answer.