How To Buy Gemstones page 4 of 10
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The four C’s
The four C’s represent the four basic parameters that measure the quality of a diamond or a gemstone: Color, Carat, Clarity and Cut.
Color
The color is the most important of the four. The quality of a color grade in a gemstone is defined by three factors: hue, saturation and tone.
The hue is what we refer to as “color” in day-to-day language: “red”, “blue”, “green” and so on. Saturation is the intensity of the hue. A strong saturation results in an intense, vivid color, while a low level of saturation gives a pale, sometimes grayish look. The tone is a factor that describes the darkness of the color. In most cases, the desirability of each hue will increase if it has high level of saturation and a medium tone.
Most of the major families of gemstones include stones of almost all colors, but some are more esteemed than others. Of course, the beauty, not least of color, is in the eye of the beholder. So some people may think of golden-brown, say, as their clear favorite. And yet, a long-standing convention in the gemstone world has shapes some agreed priorities. For example, among Sapphires, the blue is considered the “king”. Likewise, you will always have to pay more for a really red Ruby than a pinkish. And most people will prefer a pure blue Aquamarine over a greenish one.
In order to indicate the quality of the color, gemstones sellers often give grades to each stone. A stone with a top color for its kind will always be called “gem quality”. Below that you will usually find grades such as “AAA”, “AA” “A” and then B and C, which represents the lowest commercial quality.
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