Real-Life Communication
A jeweler's job often involves appraisals. An appraisal is a detailed
description of a jewelry piece, including an assessment of its quality and
value. Determining the quality of the gemstone is part of that assessment.
In
determining the quality of a diamond, jewelers use the 4Cs -- carat weight,
clarity, color and cut.
Below is a brief explanation of the 4Cs.
The
4Cs
Carat Weight
Normally, carat weight is simply
the weight of the stone. One carat is 0.2 grams. It's unlikely, though, that
you'll be able to remove the stone and weigh it.
Clarity
Almost
every diamond contains little traces of impurities, which are non-crystallized
carbon or other crystals. These are called inclusions.
The more inclusions,
the lower the clarity. Here's how they are graded:
FL
-- Flawless
IF -- Internally flawless, but minor surface blemishes
VVS1
to VVS2 -- Very, very small inclusions
VS1 to VS2 -- Very small inclusions
Sl1
to Sl2 -- Small inclusions
I1 to I3, P1 to P3 -- Inclusions visible to
the naked eye
Color
Besides white, diamonds
come in varying shades of yellow or brown. Exceptionally colored gems are
called fancies.
Cut
This is the one C that is directly
influenced by humans. The other three are determined by nature.
The
finest cut makes the best use of light as it passes through a diamond. The
idea is to cut a diamond so that the light reflects off all its bottom facets
and up through the top. This results in the super sparkle that makes diamonds
so attractive.
Here's the format for a typical appraisal:
Certificate
of Appraisal for (name of client)
Appraisal type:
(often an appraisal will be sought to determine a "retail replacement" value)
Precious
metal base price: (the going price of precious metals in the piece)
Date:
Function:
(Describe what the appraisal will be used for. Often, it's for insurance purposes.)
Description
of Article
Name the article (a brief description
of the jewelry)
Describe what kind of jewelry it is, what it is
made of, including the number and kind of gemstones in the setting.
Describe
the mounting of the gemstones and how the mounting was made -- was it cast
or hand-fashioned? Include any descriptions of decorative features such as
inscriptions or design work.
Describe how the gemstones are arranged in
the piece.
Provide a physical description of each gemstone. Note the diameter
and depth of the stones, and the approximate weight of each. Also include
the total carat weight.
Describe the clarity.
Describe the average
color.
Suggest the total retail value.
Let's say
your client is Mr. Delaney Presto. He has asked you to appraise a diamond
ring and tell him how much it would cost to replace it with a new ring at
retail prices. The appraisal will be used to help Mr. Presto decide how much
insurance to buy for the ring.
The precious base metal price is $650.
You
examine the ring and find that it's cast of 18K white gold. There's a Middle
Eastern design on the sides and top. There are five diamonds. Three (3) full-cut
round brilliant diamonds are grouped together in a gold circle on top, each
in three-stud settings.
Two (2) full-cut brilliant diamonds are channel-set
in the band, one on either side of the center ring. All of the diamonds are
the same size: 3.0 mm x 1.9 mm. You use the Gemological Institute of America
standard formula to estimate an approximate weight of 0.10 carats per diamond.
The total diamond carat weight is 0.50 carats.
The stones have an average
clarity of VS1. They are all colorless to only slightly yellow. You determine
the total retail value of the ring is $1,500.
Using the information
provided, try writing the appraisal.