The Four Cs
A lot of people talk about the “four C’s” when referring to diamonds. What are the four C’s exactly? Quite simply, they refer to Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat weight. The four C’s are widely accepted in the diamond jewelry industry as the most important qualities considered when grading a diamond. Let’s examine them.

Cut
Cut is extremely important to the overall quality of the diamond and refers to the angles and finish of any diamond as it is “cut” by a jeweler. The quality of the cut determines a diamond’s brilliance – which is it’s ability to handle & reflect light. When a diamond is improperly cut light can escape through the sides & bottom of the diamond instead of being caught and reflected back to the observers eye. A well-cut diamond traps & reflects the light giving the diamond a mesmerizing, dazzling shine. There are six different grades of cut ranging from most to least desirable: ideal, premium, very good, good, fair & poor.

Clarity
For the purposes of grading Clarity refers to the presence of inclusions otherwise known as flaws – within a diamond. These flaws are usually caused in nature due to the amount of incredible pressure it takes to create a diamond. Inclusions refer to air bubbles, cracks, and non-diamond materials found in a diamond. Diamonds are graded for clarity using a “loupe” (jeweler magnification tool) with 10xs magnification. Grades of Clarity ranging from most to least desirable:

(F) Flawless – no internal or external flaws
(IF) Internally Flawless – no internal flaws
(VVS1 VVS2) – Very, Very Slightly included
(VS1-VS2) – Very Slightly included
(SI1-SI2) – Slightly Included
(I1-I2-I3) – Included

Color
Diamond color refers to the presence or absence of color in white diamonds. The less color in a diamond, the more light is able to pass through the diamond, thus increasing the amount of sparkle and fire it emits. Therefore, the more colorless the diamond, the higher it’s value. Diamond color is graded on a scale using letters ranging from D to X – ranging from most to least desirable:

D-E-F – colorless
G-H-I-J – near colorless
K-L-M – faint yellow
N-O-P-Q-R – very light yellow
S-T-U-V-W-X – light yellow

Carat Weight
When referring to diamonds, Carat Weight is a unit of measurement. One carat is equal to 200 milligrams (0.2 grams). The process by which diamonds are formed in nature occurs extremely rarely. Thus, larger diamonds are more valuable and the price of diamonds increases exponentially to its size.

Diamond Fluorescence
Some diamonds emit a soft colored glow when exposed to ultraviolet light, or “black light.” This is referred to as diamond fluorescence. This phenomenon has been highly debated in the jewelry industry however it has mostly been concluded and agreed upon that diamonds emitting fluorescence and those that do not are nearly indistinguishable from each other to the general jewelry purchasing public. In some cases, with regard to colorless or near colorless diamonds, fluorescent diamonds have been found to have a slightly lower price. This is something to keep in mind for those who may be looking to purchase diamonds as an investment.