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In the early stages of buying diamond jewelry, your research will likely uncover something called the 4Cs for stone grading. The 4Cs stand for cut, color, clarity and carat weight; each element plays a different role in the diamond’s makeup, appearance and cost.

In general, the 4Cs are graded on a scale assessed by the GIA and AGS. A certificate should be supplied for each stone that includes key quality aspects for the diamond so a jeweler can accurately price them.

Not every aspect of the 4Cs can be viewed with the naked eye, which is why it’s important to ask for the diamond’s GIA or AGS grading report before you make a purchase. Find out what each of the 4Cs means.

Diamond Cut

Cut has the greatest overall effect on diamond quality. How the stone is cut directly influences its beauty, including the fire and sparkle. A poorly cut stone will not dazzle as much or may appear dull. A more precise cut that maximizes the fire effect will ultimately grab more attention.

In this case, cut is not strictly based on subjective factors. The GIA and AGS examine the stone’s angles, proportions, symmetry and finishing to assess them in relation to its brilliance, fire and scintillation.

Showing where the 4Cs can intersect, a diamond might not always be cut strictly for the visual appearance; here is where the grading could be effective. Cutting to keep the carat weight may result in a shallow or too deeply cut stone that doesn’t reflect light well or, it could be cut to reduce the number of inclusions to improve clarity but the process then lessens its sparkle.

The GIA assigns a grade of Ideal, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair or Poor, based on how the diamond’s shape, proportions and angles amplify its brilliance and fire. AGS uses a similar system on a 0 to 10 scale, where 0 is Ideal and 10 is Poor.

Diamond Color

There are a few ways to evaluate color: One has to do with the rarity of the diamond’s color, while the other relates to the stone’s colorlessness. As such, colored or “fancy” diamonds are graded differently from white, colorless stones.

For the latter, the GIA uses a grading system of D through Z. Stones with a “D” grade are colorless and completely transparent; those given a “Z” grade tend to appear yellow or have a light brown tint.

As the grades go down the scale, the stone’s sparkle is also taken into account and a lower-grade diamond is usually less brilliant. While colors can be subtle to the point the naked eye doesn’t perceive minute gradations, you’ll want to assess it against the setting, as the shade may become more prominent.

Diamond Clarity

While color grading describes how clear a stone appears, pertains to how many flaws and imperfections – known as “inclusions” – a stone has. Generally, unless you’re purchasing a lab-grown diamond, stones will have some inclusions, most of which require magnification to view.

Not all inclusions are equal and significant ones based on size, location and darkness affect how the light passes through the diamond. In turn, these aspects decrease its brilliance and fire, affecting how its cut will be graded.

As you shop around, seek out a stone with no inclusions visible with the naked eye and factor in how the stone is set. In some cases, the setting ends up covering up some of the inclusions.

Carat Weight

At the simplest level, carat refers to how much a diamond weighs. A single carat is measured at one-fifth of a gram, or 200 milligrams, and is divided into 100 points. Anything under a single carat is described in points alone.

Diamond weight might correlate with size, but this relationship is not absolute. As such, you’ll come across several one-carat stones that, due to cut, appear to be different sizes and have different prices.
 
If you’re searching for loose diamonds or jewelry, direct your attention to Hannoush Jewelers of Connecticut. Browse our selection online, then work with a diamond expert to find the perfect stone. Contact us to learn more.