The Four C's

Although size is an important characteristic in diamond valuation, there are four defining characteristics of a diamond that contribute to its value, based on rarity. These characteristics are commonly known as the "Four C's" and each "C" represents a certain value based character of the diamond. The Four C's are Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat weight. Each characteristic is based on rarity.

CUT
Cut is the only value related characteristic of a natural diamond that is affected by man - how well the rough diamond is cut directly relates to the brilliance and ultimately the value of an individual stone. When a rough diamond is cut to ideal proportions, a significant amount of carat weight is sacrificed, yielding a high premium for the carat weight. A mathematical formula must be followed to create an ideal cut diamond. Specific angles of the facets capitalize on the light refraction properties of diamonds, maximizing their sparkle and fire. Poorly cut stones do not refract light correctly and detract from the beauty and ultimately the value of the stone. By attempting to maximize the amount of carat weight retained from the rough diamond, many cutters sacrifice ideal proportions.

COLOR
Color is the grade of the body color of the stone. Nitrogen is the most common chemical impurity in diamond, and its presence adds a yellow tint. Color is graded from D (colorless) through Z. The presence of other chemicals, such as boron, chromium, etc. are responsible for the formation of rare and highly valued fancy colored diamonds.

CLARITY
Clarity grading represents an assessment of internal inclusions and external blemishes that are visible under 10X magnification. Clarity is graded on a scale from FL (flawless), with no visible inclusions under magnification, to I3, the most included of gem quality diamonds where internal characteristics are visible to the unaided eye. Diamonds below I3 are known as "bort" and are used for their hardness in various industrial applications.

CARAT
Carat represents the physical weight of the diamond, as larger diamonds are increasingly rare. (One carat equals .2 grams)