Is a One Carat Diamond Worth $2,000 or $20,000?

It depends. Diamonds are typically graded in 4 areas: Color, Cut, Clarity, and Carat-Weight. Oftentimes, when comparing diamonds the highlighted aspect is Carat-Weight. This makes sense, as carat-weight drives size and diamond-buyers often have a desired size in mind. But, this can lead to seemingly huge disparities in diamond price when the other factors are not taken into consideration.

To compare apples to apples one needs to understand the 4C’s (Color, Cut, Clarity, Carat-Weight) and also understand their limitations. On the GIA scale Color, Cut, and Clarity all have standardized grades; keep in mind that each grade is itself a range. For instance, Color is graded on a scale from D-Z. While Clarity may fall into one of six categories (some categories having up to 3 subcategories). An important fact to note is that no diamond comes out of the ground with its characteristics already known. Any diamond with listed characteristics received those characteristics from human grading. This excepts the newest way to grade diamonds: artificial intelligence.

Allowing computers to grade diamonds ensures precision and accuracy. Diamond reports from computers are cutting edge and poised to become the gold standard in the industry. D&D Jewelers of Sycamore is proud to offer an exclusive line of AI-graded diamonds, Rare and Forever.

There are various large institutions that handle diamond grading. Some are more respected than others in the field, but almost all have the common denominator of humans assigning grades to diamonds. These grades have, in their own right, a range. Between two diamonds with an equal clarity grade, one will have less interior characteristics. Between two diamonds with an equal cut grade, one will have more sparkle.

Now, to complicate matters further, consider that some diamonds are lab-grown and

some diamonds are enhanced. All else being equal, lab-grown diamonds cost less than

naturally-occuring mined diamonds. Enhancing diamonds can be done via multiple methods, one is laser-drilling holes into the stone to remove or hide inclusions. All else being equal, enhanced stones cost less than an unenhanced stone.

The best way to buy a diamond is to see it. The best people to buy a diamond from are

the ones you trust. D&D Jewelers can help you compare apples to apples when it comes to selecting the right diamond. After all, they are known for being your trusted jeweler.