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Diamonds Guide

The 4 C’s of Diamonds

Your Guide to Diamond Quality

Developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in the 1940s, the 4 C’s — Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat — are the global standard for evaluating diamond quality. Each of the four C’s highlights a unique aspect of a diamond’s beauty and value:

Cut
Arguably the most important of the four, cut determines how well a diamond reflects light. It is graded from Excellent to Poor on the GIA scale, and from Ideal to Poor on the International Gemological Institute (IGI) scale.

Color
Diamonds are graded on a scale from D (completely colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown). The less color a diamond has, the rarer and more valuable it tends to be.

Clarity
Clarity measures the presence of natural inclusions or blemishes, with grades ranging from Flawless (FL) to Included (I3). Most inclusions are microscopic and do not affect a diamond’s beauty to the naked eye.

Carat
Carat refers to a diamond’s weight, not its size. One metric carat equals 200 milligrams. Larger diamonds are rarer and typically more valuable, though cut, color, and clarity also significantly influence overall worth.

 

Cut

Cut is the most critical factor in unlocking a diamond's brilliance. It determines how well the diamond’s facets interact with light, producing the sparkle, fire, and scintillation that make diamonds so captivating.

Unlike color or clarity, which are determined by nature, cut quality is the result of human craftsmanship. A masterfully cut diamond reflects light with precision, returning it through the top of the stone to create maximum brightness and vibrant flashes of color.

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) grades cut on a scale from Excellent to Poor, evaluating the diamond’s proportions, symmetry, and polish.

  • Excellent cut diamonds reflect nearly all incoming light, offering exceptional brilliance and a stunning visual presence.
  • Poor cut diamonds, by contrast, allow light to leak through the bottom or sides, resulting in a lifeless or dull appearance regardless of size or clarity.

An expertly cut diamond doesn’t just shine—it comes alive with every movement.

 

Color

Diamond color refers to the natural presence or absence of color within the stone. The most prized diamonds are those that are completely colorless, allowing light to pass through with unmatched purity and brilliance.

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) grades diamond color on a scale from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown). Each step down the scale reflects a subtle increase in warmth or tint. Diamonds that exhibit vibrant hues like pink, blue, or yellow beyond the Z scale are considered fancy colored diamonds and are graded by a different system focused on hue, tone, and saturation.

As diamond size increases, so does the visibility of color, making the color grade especially significant for larger stones. A thoughtful color choice should take into account:

  • Setting style: Yellow or rose gold settings can visually warm the diamond and make near-colorless stones appear whiter
  • Diamond shape: Step cuts like emerald and asscher highlight color more than brilliant cuts, which tend to mask it through superior light return
  • Carat weight: Larger diamonds may show color more easily, making higher color grades more desirable

Selecting the right color is about balance—between beauty, budget, and the way your diamond will be worn and admired.

 

Clarity

Clarity evaluates how clean a diamond is from internal inclusions and surface blemishes—natural characteristics formed during the diamond’s creation deep within the Earth. These tiny imperfections are often invisible to the naked eye and rarely affect a diamond’s beauty, but they do influence its rarity and value.

The GIA clarity scale includes the following grades:

  • Flawless (FL)
  • Internally Flawless (IF)
  • Very Very Slightly Included (VVS1 and VVS2)
  • Very Slightly Included (VS1 and VS2)
  • Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2)
  • Included (I1, I2, and I3)

Each diamond’s clarity is assessed by considering the number, size, location, nature, and visibility of its inclusions and blemishes under 10x magnification. An inclusion directly beneath the table (the flat top surface) may be more noticeable and impactful than one near the edge or hidden beneath a prong. This makes clarity a highly nuanced factor that cannot be fully understood from grading reports alone.

Seeing the diamond in person or through magnified video helps ensure the clarity grade aligns with your expectations, especially when finding the best balance between appearance and value.

 

Carat

Carat refers to the weight of a diamond, with one carat equaling 200 milligrams—about the weight of a standard paperclip. While often associated with size, carat is a measure of mass, not dimensions. A diamond’s visual presence depends just as much on its cut and shape as it does on its weight.

Two diamonds with the same carat weight can look noticeably different in size. A well-cut diamond optimizes surface area and brilliance, making it appear larger than a poorly cut stone of the same weight. This is why cut quality is essential when considering carat.

For greater value without sacrificing visual impact, consider diamonds just under common milestone weights. For example, a 0.90-carat diamond can look nearly identical to a 1.00-carat diamond, but with a significantly lower price. The same applies to stones just below the 1.5 or 2.0-carat marks.

Carat is just one part of the overall beauty equation—a thoughtfully selected diamond balances all four C’s to create lasting brilliance.

 

Diamond Shape

Shape refers to the outline of a diamond when viewed from above and is distinct from cut, which relates to the arrangement and precision of its facets. The round brilliant remains the most popular shape due to its unmatched fire and brilliance. All other shapes—such as oval, emerald, pear, princess, and marquise—are classified as fancy shapes.

Each shape offers its own aesthetic and practical advantages. Emerald cuts create a sleek "hall of mirrors" effect, oval and marquise shapes elongate the appearance of fingers, and princess cuts deliver brilliant sparkle within a modern square form.

When choosing a shape, it’s helpful to consider more than just visual preference:

  • Budget: Fancy shapes are typically more affordable than round brilliants of similar quality.
  • Durability: Shapes with pointed tips, like marquise, pear, or princess, may require protective settings to minimize the risk of chipping.
  • Perceived size: Elongated shapes such as oval, marquise, and pear can appear larger per carat than round diamonds due to their generous surface area.

Ultimately, the shape you choose should reflect your personal style while aligning with your lifestyle and priorities. A well-chosen shape turns a diamond into a signature statement.