4C's Diamonds

Diamond Guide

This guide is your sparkling companion, ready to help you on your journey to finding the perfect diamond, all the way from the Earth's heart to your fingertip.

The 4C’s of Diamond

Choosing a diamond is an exciting step, and we understand you want to feel confident about your selection. But understanding and navigating the realm of diamonds can be daunting without proper guidance. That's where the 4C’s come in handy. The 4C’s – cut, color, clarity and carat, are your key to understanding a diamond’s beauty, quality and value. Considering these factors will help you find a diamond that sparkles brilliantly and fits your budget and taste perfectly.

The 4C’s of Diamonds is an industry standard, fundamental framework put forward by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in the 1940s. It stands for cut, color, clarity and carat weight of a diamond. Each of these characteristics are graded and documented by professionals. As a universal scale to assess and determine the quality of diamonds, this framework allows enthusiasts and buyers alike to define, assess and appreciate diamonds with confidence and consciousness.

Cut

A diamond's cut is the artistry behind the stone’s proportions, facet arrangement and overall symmetry. These elements work together to influence how the stone interacts with light. The cut is one of the most important factors determining a diamond's brilliance, fire and sparkle. The quality of a diamond’s cut is graded on a scale from Excellent to Poor. So, the better the cut, the more valuable your diamond will be and the more beautifully it will dance with light.

Cut Grading System

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) established a scientific system to assess a diamond's cut quality. This system considers the stone’s proportions and design, how light interacts with it (brilliance, fire, scintillation), and the quality of its craftsmanship which has to do with polish and symmetry. GIA's cut scale ranks diamonds along a five-point scale ranging from Excellent to Poor.

Excellent: To achieve the Excellent cut rating, a diamond needs to excel in all three aspects: ideal proportions for light return, a flawlessly smooth surface, and perfect symmetry when it comes to facet alignment.
Very Good: A Very Good cut diamond’s polish and symmetry may not be quite perfect. However, it remains high quality and allows for excellent sparkle at a more modest price point.
Good: The properties of Good cut diamonds can show slight imperfections. The light return might be less efficient compared to higher grades, which results in a somewhat diminished brilliance. These diamonds may have minor proportion flaws that create darker areas within the stone, and this gives them a slightly duller look.
Fair: A Fair cut diamond has gray or dark areas that lead to slight light refractions. Thus, they may not offer that much of a bright sparkle like higher-cut graded diamonds do.
Poor: In Poor cut diamonds, you can see more obvious dark areas that can distract the eye. Light escapes easily from the bottom (pavilion) and sometimes the tip (culet). They offer less fire and scintillation as a result. For quality considerations, we do not offer poor cut diamonds at Purple Carats.

COLORS

Color

Diamond color is about the absence of color and how close a diamond is to be colorless. The diamond color scale goes from D to Z, with D representing completely colorless stones and Z indicating a faint yellow or brown tint. The closer a diamond gets to D on the scale, the rarer and more valuable it becomes.

Colorless Diamond Grades

D, E and F are the top grades on the GIA color scale and are considered colorless diamonds. D graded diamonds are the rarest and most expensive diamonds as they exhibit absolutely no color whatsoever. Meanwhile, F graded ones can show a hint of faint hue only visible to a trained eye. As only trained experts can tell the difference between D, E or F-colored diamonds, they are the most valuable and desirable options you can go for, if you are looking for the finest diamonds.

Near Colorless Diamond Grades

G, H, I and J colors are considered near colorless. They can show faint traces of warm colors while these hints are still hard to notice for the untrained eye. G is the highest grade in the near colorless category, and it appears almost completely colorless. H, I and J graded diamonds also appear almost colorless although they can display a shadowy and faint yellow reflection under bright light. Diamonds falling into this category often come at a more modest price point when compared to colorless diamonds.

Faint Color Diamond Grades

K, L and M are faint color grades. They have a yellowish tint that can be seen with the naked eye. While colorless and near-colorless diamonds are the most sought-after options, faint colored diamonds offer an alternative at a more accessible price. If you’re after a classic bright white diamond, their subtle and warm hues may not be ideal for you. For quality considerations, we don’t offer diamonds graded K, L and M at Purple Carats.

Very Light and Light Color Grades

Diamonds falling in between N and Z grade scales are very light and light color ones. They showcase a yellow, brown or gray hue that is distinctly noticeable. Although they offer a budget-friendly option, their visible and dim color may not suit everyone's preference for a classic sparkling and eyeful colorless diamond. For quality considerations, we don’t offer diamonds graded between N and Z at Purple Carats.

CLARITY

Clarity

Diamond clarity refers to its purity and how clear it naturally is. This implies the absence of tiny flaws known as inclusions within the stone and imperfections on its surface which are called blemishes. Clarity is graded on a scale ranging from Internally Flawless to Included, and it impacts a diamond's beauty and rarity.

Diamond Clarity Scale

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) assigns different clarity grades to diamonds depending generally on the number of inclusions and blemishes they have. Upon assessing their clarity under 10x magnification, the GIA scale ranks them under 6 different categories ranging from Flawless to Included.

Flawless (FL):No inclusions or blemishes are visible even under magnification.
Internally Flawless (IF): No inclusions but only hardly visible blemishes can be seen under magnification.
Very, Very Slightly Included (VVS1 and VVS2): Minor inclusions can hardly be seen under magnification.
Very Slightly Included (VS1 and VS2): Only minor inclusions can be seen; some are easy to notice under magnification while some are not. The diamond looks clean to the naked eye.
Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2): A trained grader can see the inclusions under magnification.
Included (I1, I2, and I3):Inclusions can obviously be seen under magnification, and they are somewhat visible to the naked eye too. As they are visibly dull and not brilliant enough, we do not offer I-graded diamonds at Purple Carats.

CARAT

Carat

Carat is a universal measurement unit of a diamond’s weight. One carat is approximately equivalent to the weight of a paperclip. Carat is the most important element affecting the price of a diamond as it has to do with its mass and size.

Carat and Size

Carat refers to a diamond’s weight, not its physical size—though larger diamonds typically weigh more. However, size and appearance can vary based on cut and density. Two diamonds of the same carat weight may look different depending on proportions and cutting style. That’s why both carat weight and cut matter when selecting a diamond to ensure you're paying for visible beauty, not just weight. Our carat chart offers a visual guide to how different carat weights appear in various shapes, but slight variations may occur due to a diamond’s unique proportions and cut.

Diamond Hardness and Durability

Diamonds rank a perfect 10 on the Mohs scale which is a recognized system for measuring mineral scratch resistance. This means no other natural material can scratch a diamond and only another diamond can match its brilliance and toughness. But hardness isn't the whole story, and the concept of durability goes beyond mere surface hardness. These gems have a specific internal structure that makes them somewhat susceptible to chipping. This is why proper care is still essential for maintaining their beauty.