Carat, Color, Clarity, and Cut: Understanding The Basics Of Diamonds

Carat, color, clarity, and cut. When picking out a diamond, we often hear these terms, but what do they mean?

There are a ton of resources out there, explaining the basics of diamonds. These resources are awesome, and they can be super informational. They can be overwhelming, too. When picking out a diamond, for an engagement ring, or just a piece of jewelry, you just need to know the basics. Sometimes learning too much can lead us to go cross eyed and just give up on really understanding what we’re purchasing.

At the core of it, diamond basics do not have to be overwhelming. They can actually be quite simple, when explained in a basic way. The four c’s of diamonds, carat, color, clarity, and cut, all have their own meanings, measuring, and impact on each and every stone. Knowing what is “good”, and what your own priorities are will help with understanding diamonds, their prices, and what you’re really getting for your money.

Carat, Color, Clarity, and Cut: Understanding The Basics Of Diamonds

This post will share with you the basics of diamonds, reviewing carat, color, clarity, and cut. The point of this post is to not only help you know what each of these c’s mean, but to also help you determine what is actually of value to you. For some, carat size may be the most important part of a diamond. For others, cut or clarity could be. Understanding how they are measured, separately, will help you when picking out diamond jewelry in general.

Let’s get into it!

CARAT – THE EASIEST OF THE FOUR C’S TO MEASURE

Out of the four c’s, carat seems to be, by far, the easiest to measure.

This is because carats are simply measured in weight. It’s not up to interpretation. As long as the scale is reliable and consistent, the measure should be good. To be clear, a metric carat is 200 milligrams. This is quite small, relatively speaking, so scales that measure diamonds need to be very precise.

If a diamond weighs less than a carat, or less than 200 milligrams, it may be described by “points”, rather than it’s weight. For example, a 100 milligram, or 0.5 carat diamond, may be described as a fifty pointer. If a diamond weighs more than one carat, it is typically described by weight alone.

Obviously, the bigger the diamond, the more expensive it will be. This is because bigger rocks are harder to find. Smaller pieces are more abundant, and more available. So, the bigger the rock, the more rare it is, and the higher the cost will be.

One thing to keep in mind with carats is that not everyone wants a “big rock”. Engagement rings are worn all the time. Bigger rocks are more likely to get in the way, get caught on things, and even get stolen. So, if you are in the mode to shop for an engagement ring, take everything into consideration before purchasing. You may find that bigger isn’t better for you.

Need help picking the perfect engagement ring? This post is for you.

COLOR – THE LESS, THE BETTER

For diamonds, color is graded in the opposite in which the name applies. The less amount of color in a stone, the better the grade.

Ranging from a score of D, colorless, to Z, lots of color, lack of color is preferred when it comes to diamonds. Less color means that the rock has less chemicals in it, and a better internal structure. More chemicals and structure can mean that a diamond can project a yellowish hue. For diamond connoisseurs, the goal is to have no hue at all.

The proper way to analyze a diamond’s color is to look at it in a controlled lighting environment. This is something that diamond professionals have access to. It’s not as simple as just looking at a rock and then knowing what the grade would be.

For many people, unless the color is scored at the low end of the spectrum, chances are you won’t be able to tell a difference. Just something to keep in mind as you choose rings to buy and wear.

CLARITY – HOW FLAWLESS IS THIS DIAMOND?

Clarity is analyzed on a scale of flawless to included. Meaning, the stone has absolutely no “inclusions” or internal scratches or spots, and no external blemishes, or it has a few, or many.

Natural diamonds are made from carbon that is exposed to heat and pressure. Lab grown diamonds, which you can learn more about in this post, are created the same, but in a much faster and controlled environment. The process of creating a diamond can cause blemishes to form in, and on, the diamond. The less blemishes, the better. To be fair, no diamond is completely free of inclusions and blemishes. What matters here is the extent of them.

To score a diamond, the number of issues, the size, and where they are all taken into account. The scale is simple but can be open to subjectiveness. Below you can see the scale laid out.  

• Flawless (FL), where no inclusions or blemishes are found when the diamond is examined under ten times magnification.
• Internally flawless (IF), where nothing is found in the diamond, under ten times magnification.
• Very, very slightly included (VVS 1 and 2), where inclusions are there but they are really hard to see under magnification.
• Slightly included (SI 1 and 2), when inclusions are easy to see under magnification.
• Included (I 1, 2, and 3), where inclusions are obvious under magnification and they impact the transparency and brilliance of the diamond.

To be fair on clarity, the scale is subjective, and it’s really hard to see inclusions and blemishes without magnification. So, when picking a rock, understand that flawless is almost impossible and even the “lower end” of the scale is really hard to see with the naked eye.

CUT – HOW SHAPE AND SHINE INTERACT

When it comes to diamond basics, cut is the most difficult of the four c’s to analyze. It has to do with the proportion and arrangements that help determine how a diamond shines, from excellent to poor.

Essentially, cut is referring to how light interacts with the diamond. Contrary to what it’s called, its not about the actual shape of the diamond. Cut is about proportions, symmetry, and polish. It’s about how much effort was put into the crafting of the actual diamond shape.

Compared with the other c’s, cut is very complex and difficult to score. To determine where a stone falls in the range, analyzers will look at how bright the diamond is. This means that they look at internal and external white light reflected from the diamond, in a controlled setting. They also look at “fire”, or how white light scatters into various colors from the diamond. Factored in is also scintillation, or how much sparkle comes from the diamond. This refers to the patterns reflected in the diamond itself.

As you can see, a lot goes into cut.

Here are my thoughts on cut. Sparkly, bright diamonds are fun. They are fantastic. When you have a diamond that spreads light around it, it’s a beautiful thing. However, it needs to be taken into consideration with the other basics. Cut isn’t everything, but it’s important.

THOUGHTS ON DIAMOND BASICS: CARAT, COLOR, CLARITY, AND CUT

Friends, hopefully this was somewhat informative and helpful for you with understanding what carat, color, clarity, and cut all mean. Carat is weight. Color is hue. Clarity is flaws. Cut is sparkle. And, of course, a lot more goes into each of these, too. Picking a diamond isn’t easy, but just like with your partner, when you know, you know. Happy wedding planning!

More On Rings and Jewelry From Hummingbird Wedding Advice 

How To Pick The Perfect Engagement Ring

All About Lab Grown Diamonds For Engagement Rings

My Interview With A Custom Bridal Jewelry Designer

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