You’ve probably heard about the 4Cs of a diamond, and you may even know that it stands for diamond cut, color, clarity and carat weight. Below we take a closer look into the individual 4Cs.

Cut

Of all the 4Cs, diamond cut has the greatest effect on a diamond’s beauty. In determining the quality of the cut, the diamond grader evaluates the cutter’s skill in the fashioning of the diamond. The more precise the diamond is cut, the more captivating the diamond is to the eye.

View the complete tutorial on the American Gem Society’s patented Light Performance cut grade or learn more about diamond cut grading. 

Color

The color of gem-quality diamonds occurs in many hues. In the range from colorless to light yellow or light brown. Colorless diamonds are the rarest. Other natural colors (blue, red, pink for example) are known as “fancy,” and their color grading is different than from white colorless diamonds.

Take a look at interesting colored diamond trends across the industry or learn more about diamond color grading.

Clarity

Diamonds can have internal characteristics known as inclusions or external characteristics known as blemishes. Diamonds without inclusions or blemishes are rare; however, most characteristics can only be seen with magnification.

Learn more about diamond clarity and how it is determined.

Carat

The carat is the diamond’s physical weight measured in metric carats. One carat equals 1/5 gram and is subdivided into 100 points. Carat weight is the most objective grade of the 4Cs.

Learn more about diamond carat weight. 

The Fifth C: Confidence

When you shop smart with an American Gem Society jeweler, you will feel confident in your decision. You know that the jeweler is qualified to describe the characteristics of your diamond, so you can make the informed choice that is right for you.

Ready to buy? We can help! Learn more about diamond buying.