The 4 Cs of Diamonds | Lucky Jewelers St. Thomas

C

Carat

Weight

Carat refers to the weight of a diamond, not its size. One carat equals 200 milligrams, or 0.2 grams. Larger diamonds are rarer and therefore more valuable — but two diamonds of the same carat weight can have very different values depending on their Color, Clarity, and Cut.

A common misconception is that a higher carat always means a bigger-looking diamond. In reality, how a diamond is cut determines how large it appears to the eye. A well-cut 0.90 carat diamond can appear larger and more brilliant than a poorly cut 1.00 carat stone.

Pash's Tip: Don't fixate on hitting a round number. A 0.95 carat diamond can look identical to a 1.00 carat stone — but cost significantly less.

C

Color

Freedom from Tint

Diamond color is graded on a scale from D (completely colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown tint). The less color a diamond has, the rarer and more valuable it is. Truly colorless diamonds in the D–F range are the most prized, while G–J diamonds appear nearly colorless to the naked eye and offer excellent value.

Color is best evaluated against a white background, face-down, under controlled lighting. Once a diamond is set in a ring or pendant, subtle color differences become even harder to detect — making near-colorless grades a smart choice for most buyers.

D–F Colorless

G–J Near Colorless

K–M Faint Color

N–Z Light Color

Pash's Tip: For most settings, a G or H color diamond offers exceptional beauty at a fraction of the cost of a D.

C

Clarity

Absence of Flaws

Clarity refers to the presence of internal characteristics (inclusions) and surface characteristics (blemishes) within a diamond. These are natural features formed during a diamond's creation deep within the earth — and most are invisible to the naked eye.

The GIA clarity scale ranges from Flawless (FL) — no inclusions or blemishes visible under 10x magnification — to Included (I1, I2, I3), where inclusions are visible to the naked eye. The sweet spot for most buyers is VS1 to SI1, where the diamond appears perfectly clean to the eye but is priced well below the flawless grades.

FL / IF Flawless / Internally Flawless

VVS1–VVS2 Very Very Slightly Included

VS1–VS2 Very Slightly Included

SI1–SI2 Slightly Included

I1–I3 Included

Pash's Tip: An SI1 diamond that is "eye-clean" — showing no inclusions to the naked eye — is an excellent value and virtually indistinguishable from a VVS stone in everyday wear.

C

Cut

Craftsmanship & Sparkle

Cut is arguably the most important of the 4 Cs — and the one that most directly impacts a diamond's beauty. Cut refers not to the shape of a diamond (round, oval, cushion, etc.), but to the precision with which a diamond's facets are proportioned and aligned to maximize the return of light.

A well-cut diamond will appear brilliant, fiery, and alive. A poorly cut diamond — even one with exceptional color and clarity — will appear dull and lifeless. The GIA grades cut on a scale of Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor.

Excellent Maximum brilliance and fire

Very Good Superior light performance

Good Reflects most light

Fair / Poor Significant light loss

Pash's Tip: Never compromise on Cut. An Excellent cut diamond will always outshine a larger stone with a lesser cut. Brilliance is everything.

The 4 C's of Diamonds

Carat

Color

Clarity

Cut

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