Diamond Evolution: Why the 4Cs is no longer an adequate pricing system

(jewellerybusiness.com) - Using the 4Cs (colour, clarity, cut, and carat weight) to explain diamond pricing was developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in the 1950s. At that time, cloudy diamonds were considered ‘industrial-grade’ stones and were not set in jewellery. As such, transparency was not a concern, nor was treatment status, as almost all diamonds were untreated. Likewise, there were no separate price lists for rounds or other shapes—therefore, it didn’t matter that ‘cut’ was used interchangeably to refer to both the shape of the stone and the quality of the cut. Further, the only lab-grown diamonds that were available were tiny stones, which were used as industrial abrasives. Times have changed. These days, cloudy and hazy diamonds are often used in jewellery, but their clarity grade on lab reports does not necessarily reflect their lower transparency and value. It’s also become much more common for diamonds to be treated to improve their colour and apparent clarity grades—and the price difference between treated and untreated diamonds can be significant. Additionally, cutting style and shape are distinct price factors from cut quality and many gem labs now issue diamond reports with cut grades. High-quality lab-grown diamonds have become widely available and sell for much less than mined, natural diamonds. When all of these listed factors are considered, it becomes very clear the 4Cs is no longer an adequate pricing system.