Diamond Guide
Diamonds
At Monisha Melwani, we celebrate the exquisite craftsmanship of both natural and lab-grown diamonds, each offering its unique charm and sustainability. As you embark on your journey to select the perfect gem, understanding the 4 Cs—cut, color, clarity, and carat—is paramount. These criteria not only define the quality of a diamond but also guide you in choosing a piece that reflects your deepest desires and values. Discover elegance and precision with Monisha Melwani, where every diamond is a masterpiece.
4Cs
Color
Color Is More Visible In Large Diamonds. However, the perfect color for a diamond is a matter of personal taste. Traditionally speaking, the perfect diamond is colorless. That’s why they still command the highest prices on the market.
Yellow gold casts a warm glow and looks best with diamonds with faint color. Platinum or white gold will make a near-colorless diamond look icier.
Diamonds are graded by color alphabetically from D to Z, where D is colorless and Z is heavily tinted.
The “best” diamond color is the D color diamonds. They are the equivalent of IF or FL grade diamonds on the clarity scale, and very rare.
Rainbow spectrum of colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink, purple, and more. These are known as colored diamonds. Only 1 in every 10,000 diamonds possess natural color, and the more intense the color, the rarer and more valuable the diamond.
Clarity
VVS = clarity
Diamond clarity is the assessment of small imperfections on the surface and within the stone. Surface flaws are called blemishes, while internal defects are
known as inclusions. Most inclusions, or also called “internal characteristics”,
can’t be seen with the naked eye. All diamonds are unique, not perfect.
Clarity Tips:
The term “eye clean” means that the diamond’s inclusions are too small to see
without magnification. Diamond shape and size affect clarity.
The Five Diamond Clarity Factors:
- Size: The larger or more noticeable a characteristic, the lower the likely clarity grade.
- Number: Having fewer characteristics means a higher clarity grade.
- Position: This position turns inclusions into reflectors, which have a bigger impact on the clarity grade.
- Nature: The nature of a diamond characteristic relates to the type of inclusion and its impact on durability.
- Color and relief: Are essentially a measure of how easily a characteristic is seen, or how much contrast there is between the characteristic and
surrounding diamond.
Carat
Weight = Carat
Most popular weight: 1.00 Carat
It refers to a diamond's weight, not its size. The size of a diamond is not a linear deal when it comes to its value. Larger diamonds reach exponentially higher prices than their smaller cousins.
The carat is an indication purely of the weight/size of the diamond rather than any indication of value.
Cut
Diamond cut is the most important element to consider. A well-cut diamond can maximize sparkle while downplaying any coloration.
Visible features of a diamond:
- Proportions (width and depth of the diamond)
- Finish (does light escape from the diamond and leave it looking dull?)
- Symmetry
- Polish
Cuts of diamonds are subject to a grading system too:
- Excellent (EX): Ideal, this rare cut represents roughly the top 3% of diamond cut quality.
- Very Good (VG): This cut represents roughly the top 15% of diamond cut quality. It reflects nearly as much light as the ideal cut, but for a lower price.
- Good (G): This cut represents roughly the top 25% of diamond cut quality. It reflects most of the light that enters, but not as much as a Very Good cut grade.
- Fair (F) & Poor (P): 35% of the diamond market is made up of fair or poor cuts. Diamonds with low cut grades often appear glassy or dull, or just plain small.
Explore Our Diamond Collection
Diamond’s unique beauty, quality, and value
