Diamond Education

All About Diamonds: The 4 Cs

When shopping for jewelry, it’s always in your own best interest to do a bit of research beforehand. It helps you shop with confidence, make informed decisions, and find pieces you’ll love. On this page, you’ll find some important information about diamonds–what makes them sparkle, how we grade them, and how to better judge them for yourself. We hope this will give you some solid background knowledge as you make your diamond decision.

Of course, if you have any specific questions regarding diamond jewelry, our store experts are always ready and willing to assist you. You’re always welcome to give us a call or, better yet, visit us in our downtown Concord store!

Diamond Cut
Diamond Color
Diamond Clarity
Diamond Carat Weight

Cut

When we talk about diamond cut, we aren’t talking about the diamond’s shape. Instead, we’re talking about the diamond’s symmetry, proportions, and facets–as in, all the factors that give a diamond its sparkle! Diamond cut is often misunderstood or overlooked by shoppers, but it is one of the most important determinants of diamond quality.

Modern diamond cutting techniques were perfected over the course of many centuries. Ensuring the right facets and proportions is key to creating a beautiful diamond. Facets are the small planes cut into the diamond in symmetrical patterns. Proportions are the measurements of the diamond, including its height and width, and the ratios of those measurements.

Diamond cutting is based in science! It’s all about maximizing how the light bounces off the facets of the diamond. If a diamond is too shallow, light will leak out from the bottom of the diamond. If a diamond is too deep, the light will leak out from the sides of the diamond. In either case, the light will not get a chance to bounce around the diamond’s many facets and reflect back out into the world as a scatter of sparkle.

There are a number of different diamond cuts. The most well known diamond cut is the brilliant cut, which features 58 precisely placed facets. Diamond cut is graded on a scale ranging from “Ideal” or “Excellent” to “Poor.” The scale is standardized by both the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the American Gem Society (AGS).

Color

Color–or, perhaps more accurately, lack of color–is another key component of diamond quality. While most diamonds have some degree of coloration, it varies widely, and it’s important to understand how diamond color is graded so you can pick the best diamond for you. The sparkle of a well cut diamond can also help disguise faint coloration. This is just one of the reasons why it’s important to choose a quality cut diamond.

The American Gem Society grades diamond color using the following scale.

D-F: Colorless. It’s exceptionally rare to find an entirely colorless diamond.

G-J: Near colorless. These are high quality diamonds and will look colorless to the naked eye, especially if they are cut well.

K-M: Faintly colored. These diamonds have a faint yellowish or brownish tinge that may be somewhat visible.

N-R: Very lightly colored, with a more visible yellow or brown tinge.

S-Z: Lightly colored, with an obvious yellow or brown tinge.

Beyond Z: At this point, diamonds appear vividly yellow or brown. Diamonds that are this intensely colored are called “fancy colored diamonds” and are valued for their unique hues. Most fancy colored diamonds have been treated to make the colors even more vibrant, though some are entirely natural.

Clarity

The clarity of a diamond is judged based on the presence of inclusions and/or blemishes. Inclusions are internal flaws, such as pieces of foreign material or crystals from another diamond. Blemishes are surface flaws, such as pits or tiny scratches. It’s normal for a diamond to form with some minor flaws. Whether they are grown in a lab or in the earth, diamonds are exposed to many potential contaminants as they form.

Many of these flaws will not be visible to the naked eye, but it’s still important to know how diamond clarity is judged. The amount of inclusions and blemishes, their size, and visibility are all factors in determining a diamond’s clarity grade.	The American Gem Society’s clarity grading scale is as follows.

Flawless(FL): - A diamond with no internal or external flaws. This is extraordinarily rare.

Internally Flawless(IF): - A diamond with no internal flaws. This is very rare.

Very, Very Slightly Included(VVS): - A diamond with very minor imperfections. The flaws in a VVS diamond cannot be seen except by a skilled diamond grader under 10x magnification. Broken down into VVS1-VVS2, where VVS2 is the lower grade.

Very Slightly Included(VS): - A diamond with minor imperfections. The flaws in a VS diamond are slightly more obvious to a skilled diamond grader under 10x magnification. Broken down into VS1-VS2, where VS2 is the lower grade.

Slightly Included(SI): - A diamond with some imperfections that are easy to spot under 10x magnification. Broken down into S1-S2, where S2 is the lower grade.

Included(I): A diamond with imperfections that can be seen by the naked eye. Broken down into I1-I3, where I3 is the lowest grade.

Carat Weight

Carat weight is a gemological term referring to the total mass of a diamond. One carat is equal to 0.2 grams. Generally speaking, diamonds with a higher carat weight are rarer and more expensive. The value of a diamond increases exponentially with its size. However, you don’t necessarily have to pay more to get a bigger-looking diamond.

Many things can enhance your diamond’s perceived size, including its shape and cut. Diamonds with elongated shapes, such as emerald and oval shaped diamonds, appear larger than round diamonds of the same size. Their larger surface area gives the illusion that they are bigger overall. A well cut diamond will also appear larger than its actual size because it gives off more sparkle. Wider ring bands can make a diamond look smaller, while thinner ones make it look bigger.