THE 4Cs

Get the best diamond you can with this crash course on quality.

Cut
A stone's cut refers to the number, placement, shape, and craftsmanship of the facets that create the finished diamond. A diamond's cut has the most impact on its brilliance.

Color
Diamonds range widely in hue, from the blue of the Hope Diamond to startling shades of red, pink, amber, orange, and canary yellow. Color grades for yellow diamonds developed by the GIA range from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow).

Clarity
The clarity of a diamond depends on how clear or "clean" it is; in other words, how free it is of imperfections.

Carat
A carat is a unit of weight. Diamond weights are also referred to in points: One carat equals 100 points.