The Ivanka & Co Guides
The 4Cs
Four measures describe every diamond. Understood together, they let you spend on what the eye sees, and nothing else.
Cut
Cut grades how well a diamond's proportions and finish return light. It is the C that most affects sparkle. GIA grades round brilliants from Excellent to Poor; IGI uses a similar scale that includes Ideal. Polish and symmetry are graded separately.
Colour
White diamonds are graded on a scale from D (colourless) to Z (light yellow or brown).
| Grades | Description |
|---|---|
| D, E, F | Colourless |
| G, H, I, J | Near colourless |
| K, L, M | Faint colour |
| N–Z | Very light to light colour |
Setting matters. Yellow and rose gold warm the stone, so a near-colourless grade often looks white in them. White gold is less forgiving.
Clarity
Clarity describes inclusions and blemishes seen under 10x magnification.
| Grade | Meaning |
|---|---|
| FL, IF | Flawless, internally flawless |
| VVS1, VVS2 | Very, very slightly included |
| VS1, VS2 | Very slightly included |
| SI1, SI2 | Slightly included |
| I1, I2, I3 | Included |
Many VS and some SI diamonds are eye-clean: nothing is visible without magnification. Check the stone's image or video rather than the grade alone.
Carat
Carat is weight, not size. One carat is 0.2 grams. Two diamonds of the same weight can look different in size because of their cut and shape. Prices rise sharply at round weights such as 0.50, 1.00 and 2.00 carats; a stone just below them can look the same for less.
Balancing the four
Begin with cut, because it governs light. Then choose the lowest colour and clarity grades that still look white and clean in your chosen metal and shape. Spend what remains on carat.
Questions
- Which of the 4Cs matters most?
- Cut has the greatest effect on how a diamond sparkles. A well-cut stone of modest colour and clarity often looks better than a poorly cut stone with higher grades.
- What colour grade looks white?
- Most people see diamonds in the G to H range as white once set, especially in yellow or rose gold. D to F are colourless.
- What does eye-clean mean?
- An eye-clean diamond has no inclusions visible to the naked eye at a normal viewing distance. Many VS2 and some SI1 diamonds are eye-clean.
- Is carat the same as size?
- No. Carat measures weight. Shape and cut decide how large a diamond looks face-up.
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