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Diamond Grading – The 4C’s

Let’s start with the basics

Many people are confused about how diamonds are priced. The best explanation is that asking for the price of a diamond, is like asking for the price of a house. A real estate agent can’t quote you a price for a house without knowing its size, condition, location, etc. This process is the same one used when buying a diamond. A diamond’s rarity, and price depend on the interplay of all the 4Cs – cut, clarity, carat, and color.

Colour

Diamonds are graded on a color scale established by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) which ranges from D (colorless) to Z. Warmer colored diamonds (K–Z) are particularly desirable when set in yellow gold. Icy winter whites (D–J) look stunning set in white gold or platinum.

TIP: We’ll happily show you a variety of color grades next to one another to help you determine your color preference.

clarity

Clarity refers to the presence of inclusions in a diamond. Inclusions are ranked on a scale of perfection, that was established by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). The clarity scale, ranging from F (Flawless) to Included (I), is based on the visibility of inclusions at a magnification of 10x.

TIP: Some inclusions can be hidden by a mounting, thus having little effect on the beauty of a diamond.

carat Weight

Diamonds and other gemstones are weighed in metric carats: one carat is equal to 0.2 grams, about the same weight as a paperclip. (Don’t confuse carat with karat, as in “18K gold,” which refers to gold purity.) Just as a dollar is divided into 100 pennies, a carat is divided into 100 points. For example, a 50-point diamond weighs 0.50 carats.

TIP: The majority of diamonds used in fine jewellery weigh one carat or less.

Cut

Nature determines so much about a diamond, but it takes a master cutter to reveal the stone’s true brilliance, fire and ultimate beauty. Based on scientific formulas, a well-cut diamond will internally reflect light from one mirror-like facet to another and disperse and reflect it through the top of the stone. This results in a display of brilliance and fire, thereby placing well-cut diamonds higher on the Diamond Quality Pyramid than deep or shallow-cut diamonds.

TIP: Since a round diamond is symmetrical and capable of reflecting nearly all the light that enters, it is the most brilliant of all diamond shapes.

Three Important Things To Remember

The 4Cs are used throughout the world to classify the rarity of diamonds. At Randor Jewellery we sell GIA certified loose diamonds with trusted diamond grading reports to ensure you’re getting exactly the quality of diamond you’re paying for.

Diamonds with the combination of the highest 4C ratings are more rare and, consequently, more expensive. Our diamond experts are experienced in showing you how to get the best value possible for every style of ring and budget!

No one C is more important than another in terms of beauty – it’s personal preference. If your looking for advice, we’ve got years matching the right mix of 4 C’s to the perfect custom ring setting.

Have a question?

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Randor Jewellery Inc

4.8

Based on 68 reviews

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Maria Laguna

22:36 03 Jun 20

After visits to several other jewelers, Randy made us feel the most comfortable by listening carefully to what we were looking for. He was never over-bearing or pushy. He never rushed us and gave us undivided attention in searching for the perfect diamond. He provided insightful information, extremely useful for making our decision, that went above and beyond what other jewelers provided – such as youtube links, showed pdfs, light performance insights. He did not stray from what we were looking for in the diamond and stayed within our budget and never tried to upsell us. He always accommodated our requests and was easy to contact via email and on his cell phone. His professional demeanor and attention to detail made this experience unlike no other. The other part especially important to me was the ability to try on many variations of bands – a great selection was available as compared to other places. I was so pleased with the ring it was everything I wanted! Thank you Randy!

Catherine Kenwood

02:50 19 Mar 20

My engagement ring and wedding band were made separately at different places, so they never quite matched. I went to see Randy to redesign my engagement ring and he made me feel comfortable and confident he could make my rings look like a pair. He was extremely knowledgeable and his prices were very reasonable. My ring turned out beautifully and it now matches my wedding band. Go see Randy, you won't be disappointed!

Rajat Kachhadiya

14:17 08 Feb 20

I did my research and had a pretty good idea of what the ring would look like (oval cut with half pave band). Randy and his team were very kind, attentive and knowledgeable which resulted in the exact ring I envisioned. For the diamond, Randy discussed some key traits to focus on and we found a GIA certified diamond, within my budget and exceeding specifications I was originally aiming for. Overall my experience at Randor Jewellery was great! I definitely recommend checking them out if you are looking for an engagement ring or even other jewellery/watches.

Ben Liang

17:53 02 Dec 19

Randy and the Randor team offers a perfect combination of no-brainer pricing and levels of service and professionalism generally reserved for higher end retail stores. Couldn't have asked for a more patient and helpful individual than Randy in helping me choose the perfect engagement ring. Thanks again!

David Nicholson

15:37 25 Nov 19

Top Service as always. We got our engagement ring made here and our wedding bands. It's always a pleasure to work with Randor Jewelers. Top class as always. Great to deal with and so very helpful in all aspects of choosing a ring/s. I would highly recommend.

James Zhan

17:21 23 Oct 19

Randy is absolutely a joy to work with. He is very patient, and his prices are very reasonable. The ring turned out to be gorgeous!

Felisa Sapateiro

14:03 27 Aug 19

Before I met with Randy I did my research and had a pretty good idea of what the ring would look like (oval cut with half pave band). Randy and his team were very kind, attentive and knowledgeable which resulted in the exact ring I envisioned. For the diamond, Randy discussed some key traits to focus on and we found a GIA certified diamond, within my budget and exceeding specifications I was originally aiming for. Overall my experience at Randor Jewellery was great! I definitely recommend checking them out if you are looking for an engagement ring or even other jewellery/watches.

Boroka Bo

18:07 06 Jun 19

In the market for a custom ring but scared because you are a discerning customer (aka a perfectionist)? Have no fear, Randor is the best! Just picked up 2 rings, ordered a few weeks ago, made to my exact specifications. Great workmanship, listened to and completely honored my artistic vision for both pieces. Highly recommend, will be back!

Denis dca

00:12 04 Jun 19

Thank you to Randy for taking the time to help us find the perfect ring! He took the time to explain what quality I should be looking for and kept in constant communication once I placed the order to keep me updated on the status of the ring! My wife absolutely loved it!!! He was even willing to hold the matching wedding band so I could come pay for it closer to our wedding date! Amazing service

Audriana Li

00:19 31 May 19

I wish I could give 6 stars because our experience with Randy was so amazing. We were actually about to go with another jeweller, but then I found the exact same diamond on Randy's website for $1,100 less. That made us decide on Randy, who offered us a much larger selection of diamonds matching our specs and budget. We ended up with a much larger, high quality diamond than we thought we could afford and somehow still came in quite a bit below our budget! We picked up my ring today and it is so beautiful and perfect, I can't stop staring at it. The entire process with Randy was straightforward and transparent. Randy was awesome at getting back to all of our emails and questions, he was patient and flexible, often meeting us a bit outside of his actual store hours to accommodate our schedule. I cannot recommend Randy enough if you are looking for a custom engagement ring or piece of jewellery.

Nathan W

20:57 12 Jun 17

Randor Jewellery was the best choice that I have made. Randy helped me customize the perfect ring within my budget. I was browsing many jewelers, but as soon as I went to the appointment with Randy I was sure that he was able to create the ring that I was looking for. He promptly emailed me back whenever I had questions, time was accommodated for appointments, and any changes that I needed was done without an issue. Randor has a large selection of rings with many styles to choose from, so when I decided that I needed styles from different rings, Randy made sure that it would look flawless.My fiance is in love with the ring, and I know that I made the best possible choice with Randor.

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