The 4 Cs of Diamonds: Everything You Need to Know

Because lab-grown diamonds are indistinguishable from natural diamonds, they still follow all the rules and regulations of certified stones concerning quality. When it comes to determining diamond quality and making the right choice for your needs, the 4 Cs of diamonds are everything! Diamond cut, color, clarity, and carat make up these categories, and depending on the quality of each, the look, size, and price of a diamond may vary. Learn more about all of these qualities of diamonds today to simplify shopping for engagement rings and fine jewelry.

1. Cut

Diamonds are all about sparkle. And what causes them to shine so brightly? Their cut. Some people refer to the diamond’s shape as the cut, like oval, emerald, marquis, and round. But when we talk about the 4 Cs of diamonds, the cut refers to the literal cutting to create the angles and planes that allow more light to bounce off the stone’s interior and maximize its brilliance.

Each raw stone must be cut a little differently based on its natural features. With a bit of help from digital modeling and measuring, our artisans can determine the best angles and sizes for a diamond’s anatomy, including the table size, crown height, crown angle, pavilion angle, diamond depth, girdle thickness, and more. Cut quality is categorized into Fair, Good, Very Good, Excellent, and Ideal. The better the cut of your diamond, the more expensive it is.

2. Color

Unless you’re specifically shopping for a colored stone, the color of diamonds determines the quality. You want your stone to be as colorless and clear as possible to allow the light to bounce rainbow sparkles within its interior. Diamond color is categorized by letter, with K or Z being the most yellow and lowest quality and E and D being the most colorless and highest quality.

3. Clarity

Even in lab-created stones, perfection is unattainable. And that’s where clarity comes in. Clarity refers to the blemishes and imperfections each diamond inherently develops as it grows. Sometimes, these blemishes are entirely invisible to the naked eye. Other times, they’re clear as day and lower the quality, durability, and value of the stone. Many people compromise on clarity out of the 4 Cs of diamonds because even imperfections you can’t see without a microscope significantly lower the cost of the stone. When shopping for diamond clarity, SI2 is the lowest quality and will have visible imperfections, while IF and FL offers near-perfect stones.

4. Carat

The final category in the 4 Cs is the size of the stone, known as the carat or weight. Each carat weighs 200 milligrams and is categorized to the hundredth decimal place for extreme accuracy and precision. Diamond prices typically increase with weight, as the larger stones are rarer and more desirable.

The 4 Cs of Diamonds at EX3 Diamond

Now that you know about diamond cut, color, clarity, and carat, you can make better decisions while shopping for the perfect ring. You can even use our customization options to find a stone at your ideal price point as you explore how variations in each category change the cost of the diamond.

Shop at EX3 Diamond for higher-quality gems and transparent descriptions today.