The 4Cs of Diamonds: Cut, Color, Clarity & Carat
6 min read · By the Regal Jewels team
A plain-English walkthrough of the four factors that determine a diamond's beauty and price — and where you can safely save money.
Cut — the sparkle factor
Cut describes how well a diamond's facets interact with light, and it has the biggest impact on sparkle. A well-cut diamond looks brighter and can even appear larger than a poorly cut stone of the same weight. If you prioritize one C, make it cut.
Color — the whiteness scale
Diamond color is graded from D (colorless) to Z (noticeably tinted). To the naked eye, stones in the G–I range usually look white once set in jewelry, especially in yellow gold where a slight warmth blends in. Paying for D–F color matters most in white-metal settings.
Clarity — natural fingerprints
Clarity measures internal inclusions and surface blemishes, from FL (flawless) to I3 (included). Most inclusions in VS and SI grades are invisible without magnification. An eye-clean SI1 diamond can cost significantly less than a VVS stone that looks identical on the hand.
Carat — weight, not size
Carat is weight: 1 carat equals 0.2 grams. Two diamonds of equal carat can face up differently depending on cut proportions. Popular weights like 1.00ct carry price premiums — a 0.90ct stone often looks nearly the same for noticeably less.
Certification
Ask for a grading report from an independent laboratory when buying an important diamond. Visit us in Chicago to compare certified diamonds side by side — seeing stones in person is the fastest way to understand the 4Cs.
Still have questions?
Our jewelers answer questions every day — in store on Devon Avenue, or on WhatsApp.