The 4 Cs - the Basics

A diamond's value is based on a combination of four value factors called the 4 C's. These four factors, Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat Weight, provide a standardized way to discuss diamonds and to compare one diamond to another. Color and Clarity are standardized grading systems devised by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in 1953. This system rates a diamond's color in relation to colorless (white) and clarity in reference to the size and type of internal inclusions. Carat Weight is a standardized unit of measure described as a numerical value, which defines the weight of a diamond. Cut is a reference to how well a diamond reflects light that has entered the stone. Standards for better cut stones have been devised by the Gemological Institute of America and the American Gemological Society Laboratories (AGSL) with numerical calculations and light reflection as measured by computer analysis.