The 4 C's

If you are planning to get engaged, understanding the 4C’s is an important part of the selection process. All four of the C’s work in harmony, and each is important in its own right. Let us help you choose the perfect diamond that is as special as she is.

Cut

The cut refers to the proportions (i.e., height, width) and facets of a diamond. A well-cut stone reflects more light, creating more sparkle.

Color

Diamonds come in a range of colors, from colorless to faint yellow, brown, pink, blue, and green. A colorless diamond allows white light to pass through it and be dispersed as rainbows of color. As a rule, the closer a diamond is to colorless, the more valuable and beautiful it is.

Clarity

Clarity is an indication of a diamond’s purity. Diamonds frequently have inclusions, or small flaws, air bubbles, scratches, or other minerals inside the diamond. The less inclusions a diamond has, the more valuable and beautiful it is.

The scale for grading diamond’s clarity is:

• Flawless-These diamonds do not have any inclusions and are considered to be perfect.
• Internally Flawless-These diamonds may have very minor blemishes on the outside of the stone.
• VVS1, VVS2-These diamonds have very, very small inclusions.
• VS1, VS2-These diamonds have very small inclusions.
• SI1, SI2, SI3-These diamonds have small inclusions.
• I1, I2, I3-These diamonds have flaws which can be seen with the human eye.

Carat

Diamonds and other gemstones are weighed in metric carats: one carat is equal to 0.2 grams, about the same weight as a paperclip. Don’t confuse carat with karat, as in “18K gold,” which refers to gold purity.