Diamond Education
Come into any of our four DeScenza Diamonds stores, located in Boston, Framingham, Peabody and Hingham, Massachusetts, to receive a hands-on diamond education before you buy your diamond engagement ring. Call 800-253-0308 to talk with a diamond expert in our Boston MA DeScenza Diamonds store or click here for directions and phone numbers for any of our 4 locations.
DeScenza Diamonds is known in the industry for our integrity and accuracy in diamond grading. Our diamond experts will go beyond the 4C's of diamond grading, to show you New England's largest selection of GIA certified and Forevermark diamonds; beautiful, rare, and responsibly sourced from a small number of mines committed to best business practices and high social and environmental standards, that make you proud to give and wear them forever.
In the privacy of one of our several diamond rooms, you will be able to compare individual un-set diamonds and distinguish the many different variations of color, cut, clarity and carat weight that makes each diamond unique. DeScenza Diamonds' graduate gemologists are knowledgeable, accessible, and willing to spend as much time as you need educating you on what makes a diamond beautiful and perfect for you -and your budget.

Begin Your Diamond Education Online
A diamond is judged by four distinct factors. These are called the 4C's (cut, color, clarity, carat.) Each of these is a rarity factor. The combination of these characteristics contributes to the total rarity factor, determining the overall cost and value of the diamond. Explore all four aspects by using the navigation bar above.
Cut
Of the 4C's, cut is the one influenced by man. The other three are dictated by nature. When a diamond is cut to the proper proportions, all of the light entering from any direction is totally refracted out through the top and is dispersed into a display of sparkling flashes and rainbow colors, regardless of it's shape.

ideal Cut

Cut Too Deep

Cut Too Shallow
COLOR
Diamonds can cover the entire spectrum of colors. Most diamonds, although appearing colorless, actually have slight tones of yellow or brown, as viewed through the pavilion. As these tones become more easily apparent, the rarity and cost decrease. Colorless diamonds allow for the most reflection of light. Accurately color graded diamonds are only done so against a master set of comparison stones under specific lighting conditions and background
CLARITY
Another important characteristic when evaluating diamonds is clarity. Clarity refers to the number, location, size and nature of inclusions that occur inside the diamond. The most pure of diamonds is the flawless, internally flawless and (VVS) very, very small inclusions. These diamonds command a very high price due to their rarity. Medium to very good clarity diamonds such as (SI) small inclusions or (VS) very small inclusions demonstrate the same degree of brilliance similar to a flawless diamond. Only a trained expert with a 10x loupe can examine and determine the exact clarity of these diamonds. If the inclusions are apparent to the naked eye, then the grade will be (I) or imperfect. Inclusions or blemishes give each diamond a distinct fingerprint that helps in making each diamond truly unique.





CARAT
As with all precious stones, the weight - and therefore the size - of a diamond is expressed in carats. The word carat originated in a natural unit of weight: the seeds of the carob tree. Diamonds were traditionally weighed against these seeds until the system was standardized and one carat was fixed at 0.2 grams (one fifth of a gram).One carat is divided into 100 "points" so that a diamond 25 points is described as a quarter of a carat or 0.25 carats.
Size is the most obvious factor in determining the value of a diamond, but now you know that two diamonds of equal size can have very unequal prices depending on their quality.