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Understanding the 4 Cs of Diamond Buying

Most of you have probably heard of the 4 Cs of diamond grading. Some of you can recite them like a mantra: Carat, Cut, Color, Clarity. However, do you really understand them and what they mean to the price of your diamond? Let’s find out!

Carat: Carat refers to the weight of the stone. The metric carat, 0.20 gram, is the standard unit of weight for the diamond and most other gems. All other factors being equal, carat has the most impact on the value of the stone. The price of a diamond is called the price per carat. The price per carat increases at certain weight points. For instance, 0.38-0.49, 0.50-0.69, 0.70-0.89, 0.90-0.99, 1.00-1.49, 1.50-1.99 will increase in the price per carat depending on the market. So, you could get a higher quality 0.99 carat diamond for the same price as a mid to low quality one carat stone. The increase in price is not linear, nor is it the same across the board. Price per carat can even vary based on the location of the mine.

Cut: Some people confuse the shape of the diamond with the cut. However, these terms are not interchangeable. The cut actually denotes the proportions and finish that determine the diamond’s brilliance, or sparkle. If a stone is cut too shallow or too deep, light will escape from the stone’s base. An ideal cut allows the light entering the stone to exit through the top, or table of the diamond. The more brilliant a diamond, the larger it will appear.

Color: White diamonds are graded from D to Z, colorless to visibly tinted yellow. When they surpass the Z grade, they become Fancy Colored Diamonds, which have their own grading scale. The following scale depicts the typical variations in color from one level to the next:

• D-E-F
• •Colorless
• G-H-I-J
• •Nearly colorless
• K-L-M
• •Faintly tinted, usually yellow
• N-O-P-Q-R
• •Lightly tinted, usually yellow, tint can be seen with the naked eye
• S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z
• •Tinted, usually yellow, may progress to brownish, tint visible to the naked eye, even when mounted

The closer to D, the more expensive the diamond. As with price per carat, the increase is not linear.

Clarity: Almost all diamonds have imperfections in the stone: cuts, breaks, deformations. These imperfections are known as inclusions. Though the inclusions may not be visible to the naked eye, they do affect the clarity of the stone. The Gemological Institute of America rates the clarity of diamonds with the following scale:

• FL-Flawless

These stones have no imperfections inside or on the outside of the stone under the magnification of a loupe of 10 power.

• IF-Internally Flawless

These stones have no inclusions under a loupe with a 10 power magnification.

• VVS1,VVS2-Very Very Slightly Imperfect

These stones have very small inclusions which are very  difficult to see under a loupe with a 10 power magnification.

• VS1,VS2-Very Slightly Imperfect

These stones have small inclusions which are slightly difficult to difficult to see under a loupe with a 10 power magnification.

• SI1,SI2-Slightly Imperfect

These stones have inclusions which are fairly easy to see under a loupe with a 10 power magnification, or visible to the naked eye.

• I1,I2,I3-Imperfect

These stones have inclusions which range from eye visible to very easily seen to the naked eye.

As you might expect, the more flawless the diamond, the more expensive. As you also might expect by now, the price going up the scale is not linear.

Now that you know the 4 Cs, the last one you’ll need to consider is cost. If you have a budget in mind, decide which of the 4 Cs you’re willing to sacrifice. Do you want a larger stone with more imperfections? Or are you satisfied with a small diamond as long as it’s flawless? As with shape, style, and setting, those decisions should be discussed with your jeweler.