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How to Measure Diamond Quality

While many diamonds of mediocre quality can still be stunningly beautiful, there is a noticeable difference even to the untrained eye between a perfect or near perfect diamond and one that is merely acceptable. Diamond quality is measured by the four Cs: cut, clarity, color and carat weight. These traits are usually measured by a professional jeweler, but even an untrained amateur can estimate each of the four Cs and come up with a good guess as to a diamond̵7;s quality.

Things You'll Need

Diamond
Magnifying glass
Sensitive scale

Instructions

- 1
  Observe the diamond and pay attention to how much it sparkles. Any diamond will sparkle, but those with a good cut will have an unmatched brilliance and radiance. Compare the diamond in question to other diamonds to get a sense of how brilliant and sparkly it is in relation to others. This will give you an idea of the quality of its cut.
- 2
  Use a magnifying glass to try to find any visible flaws, specks, lines or other imperfections in your diamond. The clarity is judged by the number and severity of these problems. The perfect diamond will have no visible inclusions or blemishes.
- 3
  Look for any hint of yellowish color in your diamond. If you cannot detect any and it appears pure white or clear, it probably has very good color. The yellower it looks, the worse the color is. This does not apply to diamonds of special colors such as blue or green.
- 4
  Weigh your diamond on a sensitive scale that can measure grams. There are 5 carats per gram, so by doing a little math you̵7;ll be able to figure out the carat weight of your diamond.

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