Topics
Diamonds
The Four C’s
The Quality and Value of a Diamond is determined by the 4 C’s. Diamonds with the highest 4C ratios are the rarest and therefore the most valuable.
The Four C’s are:
Cut
The Cut Grade measures how the individual proportions combine to effect the beauty of a diamond. Diamonds with a high cut grade will have a high degree of brightness, fire and sparkle. High cut grades include “Excellent” and “Very Good”. Midrange includes “Good”, and low end includes “Fair” and “Poor”.
Excellent + Very Good
These diamonds will have a high degree of brilliance, fire and sparkle.
Good
This grade will generally be a bit darker or lacking in sparkle.
Fair
Diamonds in this category lack brightness, fire and sparkle.
Poor
Diamonds in this category will show very little brightness, fire and sparkle.
Colour
Diamonds are graded using the colour grading scale (D-Z). Most diamonds are colourless to slightly yellow. The highest grade is “D” or colourless exceptional white +) and extends to “Z” or light yellow.
Clarity
All diamonds contain imperfections. The very best, and rarest, clarity is Flawless (FL). Because many inclusions are not visible to the naked eye, diamonds are graded under 10x magnification.
Carat Weight
Diamond weight is measured in carats and 100pts = 1 ct.