What are the 4 C’s of Diamonds
October 2nd, 2024
This is Diamonds 101; the basics that you should know as a person who buys diamonds. The 4 C’s of diamonds are color, clarity, cut, and carat.
Color
Color actually refers to the lack of color a diamond has. The GIA has universalized the use of the D to Z system. They have a set of master stones that cover every color grade, which is every letter from D to Z in the English Alphabet. “D” Diamonds have no color, they’re as clear as a single drop of water. These are the highest-grade diamonds and are very rare. “Z” Diamonds are the lowest grade and have a yellowish-brown tinge. This does not mean they’re bad diamonds, they just have the most color. Our owner has a specialty in finding the sweet spot of color to compliment their beauty and value.
Clarity
Clarity refers to the number of inclusions, internal characteristics, and blemishes, external characteristics. To grade Clarity, the diamonds are looked at under 10x magnification using a 6-category system ranging from Internally Flawless to Included.
Cut
Cut refers to how the diamond has been fashioned to reflect light. This is not the stone's shape, such as round, oval, pear, etc. Shape refers to the overall silhouette of the diamond. Cut refers to the different facets that the artist has employed to make the diamond sparkle. This makes it the hardest of the C’s to grade. The “Cut” grading is our Mitchum specialty. Every single diamond we offer has intentionally been touched, examined and evaluated to ensure the diamond is cut perfectly to maximize its maximum potential brilliance!
Carat Weight
Carat refers to the weight of the diamond. A carat is equal to 200 milligrams, and each carat is divided into 100 points. This means that a diamond under 1 Carat such as a 0.5 Carat diamond is referred to as a ‘50 pointer.’ The greater the diamond's weight, the more rare, and therefore the more expensive it is.
Why are the 4 C’s of Diamonds Important?
The 4 C’s of diamonds are important because they are what determines a diamond's quality and value. Cut is the hardest to determine, whereas Carat is the easiest. Most people put the most stock in Carat and Clarity, but a diamond’s grading requires all four for us to truly understand every diamond’s unique beauty and worth.
