3 C's Of Diamonds
Entry posted by -BD-
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The 4 C's of diamonds are: Cut, Clarity, Color and. These are the three basic criteria upon which a diamond is graded and the determining factors of a diamonds brilliance and beauty. People have not realy taken notice to the diamond as an actual formation of art, but just as a piece of jewlry. The diamond is actually a pretty complex structure if you think about...
Here, I will take you on a tour of the diamond structure itself, before I actually take you on the "Tour of the Gardens"... that will be fun... 
Here, we can examine the 3 C's, the first being Cut_
Cut
The cut of a diamond is the facets or refractive flat points of a diamond. As light enters into the stone each of the cuts on the diamond reflect that light to the other cuts or facets. As this lights bounces around within the diamond it produces the beauty and color that we see. Cut should not be confused with shape. Shape is just that, the style into with a diamond is shaped. There are several shapes that a diamond cut to. Some of the most common shapes are round, pear, heart, marquise or emerald. When a diamond is cut in the proper proportions the light that enters into it produces the fire that is associated with the true beauty of a diamond. A diamond that is cut too deep or too shallow loses the light through the bottom or the sides without producing the firey effect that is so desired.
Cut, along with shape or style determines the number of facets cut into a diamond and is also the primary feature of producing a diamond's brilliance. The round shaped style is scientifically proven to be the most refractive, but, if not cut properly it will lose much of it's brilliance. A poorly cut diamond is not easily identified with the naked eye but becomes obvious under the trained eye of a certified gemologist.
Clarity
Clarity of a diamond is determined by the number of inclusions within a diamond. Each inclusion reduces the refractive abilities of the diamond and thus reduces the brilliance that can be attained. An inclusion is a minute spot that occurs within the diamond. Inclusions were created during the formation of the diamond millions of years ago and as such are not something that can be generally completely avoided. Inclusions may also be referred to as blemishes or flaws found on the surface of a diamond. The fewer inclusions or spots within a diamond produce the most prized or valued diamonds. Each flaw or inclusion found on a diamond can be thought of as the fingerprint of a diamond since no two diamonds are exactly alike.
A diamond that is graded a flawless in its clarity shows no inclusions and produces the greatest beauty, fire and brilliance. Next to a flawless diamond, there are other grades of clarity, each with its own characteristics. Although a flawless diamond is most valued, you should not completely avoid purchasing a diamond that is graded less than flawless.
Color
When considering a diamond's color, we refer to the presence or absence of color in white diamonds. Color is a result of the composition of the diamond that will never change. A diamond, unlike many other materials cannot be bleached or whitened. A colorless diamond is like a clear window, allowing more light to pass through it than a colored diamond. Colorless diamonds by their nature produce greater sparkle, brilliance and fire. The formation process of a diamond assures that there are very few diamonds that are truly colorless. So the whiter a diamond's color, the greater its value. Colorless diamonds are generally the most desirable since they allow the most refraction of light, while off white diamonds absorb light, inhibiting brilliance.
Note: Fancy, colored diamonds are very rare and very expensive. They can be any color from blue, red, black, pale green, pink and violet diamonds. These colored diamonds are the truly rare ones and are actually more valuable as a result or their color.
Hope you learned something new! Be back for the "Grand Opening" of the tour.
Credit: To the Benson Diamond Jewlers, thank you for the supportive information. 
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