The Four C’s: Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat Weight

Take a few moments to learn about the fascinating world of diamond grading. The more you know about what to look for before you shop, the easier it will be to find what you need when you come in our beautiful store.

Just to let you know, we, at Majestic Diamonds, Inc., follow the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) standards on color, clarity, cut and carat weight. The GIA is the worldwide authority on the diamond selection process. 

Now, discover the basics of the Four C’s: Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carat Weight.

Color

The industry standard for grading diamonds for color is the GIA color grading scale. The scale starts with D for colorless. It omits A, B, and C due the saturation of questionable quality ratings from a variety of sources in earlier times. Diamonds may contain some yellow or brown tinges; however, how colorless they are in appearance is what matters and raises a particular diamond’s value. 

23 Letters for Grading Color:

As stated, the grading scale represents color increases with D being the highest degree of colorless. The letter Z represents the least amount of “colorless”; therefore, diamonds with that color grade Z contain the most amount of color. 

D, E, F – Colorless

G, H, I, J – Near colorless 

K, L, M – Faint

N, O, P, Q, R – Very light

S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z – Light

Skilled color-graders compare the colors of similar stones to help them make their grading decision. They analyze diamonds for color under strict lighting and viewing environments. Subtleties, especially in the top scale grading sections of D, E, F and G, H, I, J may be difficult to see except to the trained eye under grading conditions. This is important because a top colorless grade is always sought-after. 

Clarity

Diamonds have internal marks called inclusions and external marks called blemishes. The conditions of immense pressure and high heat deep down within the earth where diamonds are formed causes this to happen. The less inclusions and blemishes found on a diamond, the clearer the stone. Clarity refers to the absence of these marks. 

One of the most exciting things about diamonds is that no two are exactly alike. Flawless diamonds, while not totally absent of blemishes or inclusions, are the closest to “flawless clarity” and this makes them the most valuable kind of diamond to own. 

Clarity is judged under 10x magnification by a skilled grader. The diamond’s size, position and quantity of unique traits visible are considered when judging clarity.

The 11 Grades on the Clarity Scale

FL    (Flawless) - To a skilled grader, no visible blemishes or inclusions using a 10x magnification.

IF    (Internally Flawless) - No inclusions, just blemishes are visible to a skilled grader using a 10x magnification.

VVS1 and VVS2     (Very, Very Slightly Included) - Difficult to notice any inclusions on the diamond using a 10x magnification.

VS1 and VS2     (Very Slightly Included) - Minor inclusions that may be either easy or hard for a skilled grader to see using a 10x magnification.

SI1, SI2    (Slightly Included) - To a skilled grader, inclusions are noticeable using a 10x magnification.

I1, I2, and I3     (Included) - Inclusions are visible and it affects the diamond’s level of shine, brilliance, and clarity using a 10x magnification.

In earlier times, before the GIA clarity scale was developed, jewelers used a variety of terms to describe the clarity of diamonds. Thus, clarity was misinterpreted. Today, that’s no longer the case thanks to GIA’s clarity grading system. It’s now the standard for jewelers all over the world.

Cut

The GIA Cut Scale is a grading system developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) to evaluate the cut quality of a diamond. The scale ranges from Excellent to Poor and takes into account a variety of factors including brightness, fire, scintillation, weight ratio, and durability.

• Excellent: A diamond that is cut to ideal proportions, resulting in the highest level of brightness, fire, and scintillation.

• Very Good: A diamond that is cut to near-ideal proportions, resulting in high levels of brightness, fire, and scintillation.

• Good: A diamond that is cut to good proportions, resulting in a good balance of brightness, fire, and scintillation.

• Fair: A diamond that is cut to fair proportions, resulting in a lower level of brightness, fire, and scintillation.

• Poor: A diamond that is cut to poor proportions, resulting in the lowest level of brightness, fire, and scintillation.

It is important to note that the cut quality of a diamond is the most important factor in determining its overall beauty and value. A diamond with a higher cut grade will have more brilliance and sparkle, while a diamond with a lower cut grade will appear dull and lifeless. When purchasing a diamond, it is recommended to look for a stone with a cut grade of at least "Good" to ensure that it will have the maximum amount of sparkle and beauty.

 Carat

The GIA Carat Scale is a grading system developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) to measure the weight of a diamond. One carat is equal to 0.2 grams, or 200 milligrams, and is divided into 100 points. So for example, a diamond that weighs 0.50 carats would be referred to as "50 points" or "half a carat."

It's important to note that carat weight is not the only factor that determines the value of a diamond, but it is one of the most important factors. A diamond's value generally increases as its carat weight increases, all other factors being equal. Larger diamonds are considered more rare and valuable than smaller ones.

However, two diamonds of the same carat weight can have a significant difference in value based on the quality of their cut, color, and clarity. A one-carat diamond with a high color and clarity grade and excellent cut may be worth significantly more than a one-carat diamond with lower grades in those categories.