The 4 Cs of a Diamond Explained: Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat

When buying a diamond, you will inevitably come across the term “the 4 Cs.” But what do they mean exactly? And how do they affect the price and appearance of a diamond? Here is everything explained step by step.

Cut

Cut is the most important of the four. It determines how well a diamond reflects light and how brilliantly it sparkles. A perfectly cut diamond catches light and throws it back like fireworks. A poor cut makes even a large diamond look dull. Quality ranges from “Excellent” to “Poor.”

Colour

Diamonds are graded on a scale from D (colourless) to Z (light yellow or brown). The more colourless, the more valuable. But note: the difference between D and G is barely visible to the naked eye, while the price difference is significant.

Clarity

Almost every diamond has small inclusions, often called “flaws.” Clarity indicates how visible these are. A VS1 or VS2 diamond has inclusions visible only under magnification. For most people, that is more than sufficient.

Carat

Carat measures a diamond’s weight, not its size. One carat equals 0.2 grams. The higher the carat, the rarer and more expensive the diamond. But cut determines how large a diamond appears visually.

My advice

Invest most in a good cut. A diamond with an excellent cut but lower colour or clarity often sparkles more beautifully than a higher-quality stone with a mediocre cut.

Want a diamond piece made for you? At my studio in Oud-Heverlee I guide you through every choice.