The Four C's of Diamonds

1. CUT
How well is the diamond cut? Cut grading comprises the measuring the angles of the stone, taking the depth and width of the stone and inspecting the polish and symmetry of the stone. Better cut stones give better light return to the eye and feature better dispersion of the spectral colors...This is the "fire" in the diamond!

2. COLOR

Color is the interpretation of minute differences in the tone of the body color of the diamond in comparison to a master set of diamonds, which have been graded to show colors represented by letters D-Z. This gives us the ability to verbalize the color of a diamond, and helps in matching stones for side stones and earrings.

3. CLARITY

Clarity is the subjective assessment of the amount, type and visibility of the various inclusions in the diamond.

4. CARAT

Carat weight is the easiest of the 4 Cs to understand as it refers to the weight of the diamond. The term "carat" is derived from the weight of a carob seed, which was once the standard for weighing gemstones.