The 4 Cs of Diamonds Rings

A Diamond ring for engagement is surrounded in tradition. Proposing to your loved one with a material so rare and universally admired is the greatest symbol of love and commitment. 

Before you select a diamond, you must consider the 4 Cs of diamond quality for diamond rings – these are cut, clarity, colour and carat weight. The 4 Cs was created by The Gemological Institution of America to produce consistent, accurate and unbiased diamond grading reports. 

Trained eyes scrutinise the diamond using specific tools and analyse the ratios of the dimensions, clarity, colour, polish, symmetry and other elements before determining its grade. Each stone is graded twice, by different graders, to ensure they arrive at the same grading report.

So, what are the 4 Cs of a Diamond Ring?

Take a look at the basics of the diamond 4 Cs to see which of the 4 is most important to you. Then, consider how to balance all four elements to suit your price point.

Cut

 A cut grade is only given to a round brilliant shape diamond. Cut grade has the greatest influence over a diamond’s brilliance, determining what we call “sparkle”. Excellent and very good diamonds have the highest light return and therefore, perform the most brilliantly.

Clarity

While diamonds are formed deep in the earth, they develop natural birthmarks – slight irregularities and features that are visible to a skilled grader under 10x magnification. These are known as ‘clarity characteristics’.

Depending on their size, placement, tone or colour, these clarity characteristics may or may not be visible to the naked eye. This is why a truly flawless diamond is so rare. Diamonds with ‘SI1’ (slightly included 1) clarity grades or higher typically don’t have clarity characteristics that are visible to the naked eye.

Colour

White diamonds are graded from D (colourless) to Z (light yellow).

Grades D – F are colourless and icy white in colour. These are considered the highest colour grades and this is reflected in their price point.

Grades G – I are nearly colourless, with colour distinctions so subtle that are typically indistinguishable to the untrained eye.

A diamond colour grade of I or above will generally appear white.

Carat Weight

Despite often being understood as the size of a diamond, carat is actually a unit that measures a diamond’s weight. Today, one carat is equal to 0.2 grams. The heavier the diamond, the higher the price.

However, bigger doesn’t always mean better. The right diamond should not be chosen purely on one factor, but should be a balanced combination of all 4 Cs.

It’s always advisable to seek the advice and guidance of a professional when selecting your diamond. At Taylor & Hart, every diamond is inspected by their skilled in-house gemstone inspector to ensure your diamond performs beautifully.

While all of the 4 Cs are important, you should focus on the quality that’s most important to you, then work to balance the remaining three to suit your preferences, requirements and price point.