Quick Guide to The 4 C's

1. Cut

More than any other attribute, it is the Cut that makes a diamond brilliant and beautiful. A diamond that is well cut reflects light internally and displays a dazzling shower of light back through the top of the stone. Learn the Secret to a Brighter Diamond

Poor light leakages from bottom	Fair minimal light releases through diamond table	Good some light releases through diamond table	Very Good exceptional light releases through diamond table	Excellent nearly all of the light releases to the viewer's eye

Fast Fact:
Earrings from DiamondStudsOnly are carefully inspected to represent the best cut standards for the price. When viewing a diamond, look directly into the center: if there are dark facets in the center or a dark ring around the center, or if the diamond appears opaque, it is probably due to poor cut

2. Color

The finest diamonds are colorless, rare and expensive. On the GIA grading scale below, D-F are considered colorless, G-J near colorless and any grade K or below shows an increasingly yellowish tinge. Beyond the preference for a whiter stone, however, the color of a diamond does not affect its brightness or sparkle.

Fast Fact:
Most experts agree that, when mounted, diamonds in the "G-H" range appear colorless, and represent a much better value than "D-F" stones which command significantly higher prices.

3. Clarity

Diamonds with fewer flaws (inclusions) are rare and therefore more highly prized. In many cases, these flaws don't detract from the beauty of the diamond because they are invisible to the naked eye.

GIA Clarity Grading Scale
F-IF Flawless, internally flawless. No flaws internally or externally. Extremely rare and beautiful diamonds.	VVS1-VVS2 Very, very slightly included. Very hard to see inclusions under 10X magnification. Diamonds of excellent quality.	VS1-VS2 Very slightly included. Inclusions usually not visible to the naked eye. Cheaper than VVS1 or VVS2 grade loose diamonds.	SI1-SI2 Slightly included. Inclusions visible under 10X magnification and might be visible with the naked eye. Good value.	SI3-I1 Included inclusions maybe visible without magnification, but an excellent choice for earrings. An SI3-I1 grade can be an excellent value, particularly since the inclusions are hard to see.	I2-I3 Inclusions can be seen without magnification and obvious under 10X magnification. May affect transparency and brilliance.

Fast Fact:
Any grade "SI2" or above has inclusions that are "eye clean", not visible to the naked eye. An "SI3-I1" grade can be an excellent value, particularly if the inclusion is on the outer edge. "I2" grades can still exhibit a fair degree of fire and light. "I3" grade diamonds are noticeably more opaque or dark to the naked eye.

4. Carat Weight

The weight of diamonds are measured in carats. One carat is equal to 1/142 of an ounce. Most people think of carat weight as the size of a diamond. However, two diamonds of the same weight can look completely different in size. If a diamond is cut deep and narrow, it will look much smaller than another diamond of the same weight that is cut shallow and wide.

This 1 carat rough can yield a .50 carat diamond with excellent cut and extraordinary brilliance, dispersion and scintillation, or...		The same 1 carat rough can yield a .75 carat diamond with fair cut that is dull and milky in comparison