The 4 Cs of Diamonds Explained

While shopping for diamond engagement rings, you will undoubtedly come across the concept of the 4 C’s. Together, the 4 C’s — Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat Weight contribute to the overall beauty of a diamond. Which of the 4 C’s are the most important? Let us explain!

What Are

The 4 C's

Cut

Arguably the most important aspect to consider when buying a diamond, the diamond’s cut refers to the quality of angles, proportions, symmetry, brilliance, fire, scintillation and finishing details. These factors are what makes a diamond sparkle and have a major impact on its overall aesthetic appearance.

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) grades Diamond Cut on the scale of Ideal, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor.

Colour

Diamond Colour is graded in terms of how colourless the diamond is. The GIA grades diamonds from D – Z, with D being the most colourless and Z containing an obvious yellow or brown tint. The way diamonds are priced can be significantly impacted by their colour.

Clarity

A diamond’s clarity takes into account how clean a diamond is from inclusions and blemishes. Clarity is graded by the GIA on the following scale:

FL (Flawless)
IF (Internally Flawless)
VVS1 (Very, Very Slightly Included 1)
VVS2 (Very, Very Slightly Included 2)
VS1 (Very Slightly Included 1)
VS2 (Very Slightly Included 2)
SI1 (Slightly Included 1)
SI2 (Slightly Included 2)
I1 (Inclusions 1)
I2 (Inclusions 2)

When it comes to a diamond’s clarity, it’s best to take into consideration how “eye-clean” a diamond is. “Eye-clean” refers to diamonds that may have inclusions if you look at them with a magnifying glass, but are unseen to the naked eye.

Carat Weight

Contrary to popular belief, a diamond’s carat weight refers to the weight of the diamond, not how large the stone is. For example, a 1-carat diamond equals 200 milligrams, or 0.2 grams—and weighs about the same as a quarter of a raisin.

Depending on the diamond’s shape and how it is cut, two 1-carat diamonds could actually be quite different in size.

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