Article Highlights
- The Four C’s refer to the four factors diamonds are graded on in order to determine their value.
- Color is graded on a scale from D to Z, with D being colorless and Z having the most color.
- Clarity is graded from F to I3, where F has no inclusions and I3 has the most inclusions.
- Cut refers to shape and how well the diamond is proportioned.
- Carat refers to gem weight.
When it comes to buying a diamond ring, there are many things to consider. What style you want the ring to be, how many diamonds you want it to have, what color gold you prefer, etc. And while all these things are important, don’t forget about the qualities you are looking for in the diamond itself.
What Are the Four C’s?
The four C’s refer to the four categories a diamond is graded on; cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. As mentioned in our What is a Diamond Report article, a diamond is graded off these four categories and how it scores determines its value and how much it will be put on the market for.
Cut
The cut of the diamond refers to the shape and how well the diamond cutter did at creating a sparkling but proportionate stone. You know when you look at a diamond and it has that enchanting sparkle? Believe it or not, there’s a science to it. Depending on the cut, each diamond should have a certain number of facets (flat surfaces) and a certain range for height, width, and depth. Think of a room of mirrors. If the mirrors reflect light off of each other around the room, it will be bright. But, if some of the mirrors are not lined up with each other properly, you won’t get the desired effect. Same with the sparkle in the stone, and that's why it's graded. As for the shape, or cuts, some cuts are more detailed than others or rarer than the next, which fetches a higher price.
Color
Chances are if I asked you to picture a diamond, it would be colorless, but did you know that diamonds have a range of colors? The diamond color grading scale ranges from D to Z, D being colorless and Z having the most color. This color scale breaks up the letter grades into ranges, for instance, D, E, and F are in the category of “colorless”. G-J is categorized as “near-colorless”, and so on. Diamonds in the normal color range D is the most valuable grade. However, that means the stones that receive a colorless grade are more expensive. For the average diamond buyer, experts recommend buying in the near-colorless range. This is recommended because diamonds in this bracket do have color, but not enough that it is noticeable without a trained eye. However, these rules only apply to diamonds in the normal color range. What does that mean? Some diamonds contain so much color that it is an attribute instead of decreasing the value. These diamonds are referred to as fancy-colored diamonds and can fetch quite a high price. Instead of using the D-Z scale, these diamonds are color-graded using normal colored stone methods.
Gemological Institute of America
Clarity
Clarity is another factor you must consider when purchasing a diamond. Each diamond is graded on a scale from I3 to F, depending on the inclusions that are found within it. Inclusions are imperfections found within the diamond. The most valuable diamonds score an impressive F, or flawless, while I3 diamonds are often used for industrial purposes instead of jewelry. The full scale from most to least valuable goes F (flawless), IF (internally flawless), VVS1 & VVS2 (very very slightly included), VS1 & VS2 (very slightly included), SI1 & SI2 (slightly included), and lastly I1, I2, and I3 (included).
Carat Weight
Our fourth and final C is Carat Weight, abbreviated as Ct. As the name entails, carat weight refers to the gem weight of a diamond. All gems and diamonds in the industry are weighed in carats.
As you can probably tell, the four C’s are crucial when buying a diamond. Each stone scores differently, and in turn, varies in value. By doing your homework and learning what each of the four C’s are, you can be that much more confident throughout your diamond-buying experience. If you have any questions or need help picking out your next piece of jewelry, remember that the Lola Ade team is only an email away!