The 4 C's: How I Look at Diamonds

Whenever I’m selecting diamonds, I always start with the 4Cs: cut, colour, clarity, and carat. Understanding these basics makes all the difference when you want a stone that truly sparkles. Here’s my take:

1. CUT

Cut is everything. It’s what makes a diamond sparkle, sparkle, sparkle. Even a huge diamond with perfect clarity and colour will look dull if the cut is off. The cut determines how light reflects through the crown, creating fire, brilliance, and scintillation. A diamond cut too shallow or too deep just won’t show its full potential.

Fun fact: Cut is about the proportions and symmetry of the stone, not its shape. Shape is just the outline whether it be round, pear, oval, etc. But the cut? That’s what makes your diamond shine.

2. COLOUR

Diamonds actually come in every colour under the rainbow, but the closer to colourless, the rarer and more valuable the stone. Totally colourless diamonds allow light to pass through perfectly, creating that magical rainbow reflection. The GIA grades colour from D (colourless) to Z (light yellow). 

3. CLARITY

No two diamonds are exactly alike. Each stone has its own inclusions (internal) and blemishes (external). The fewer imperfections, the more valuable the diamond. Most inclusions are invisible to the naked eye unless you get down to lower SI or I grades. And nowadays stones with heavy inclusions, known as ‘salt and pepper diamonds’ have grown in popularity as customers seek out stones with their own unique ‘personalities’. 

4. CARAT

Carat is simply the weight of the diamond, not the size. One carat equals 1/5 of a gram and is further divided into 100 points, so a 0.50ct diamond is 50 points. Two diamonds can have the same carat but look very different depending on cut, colour, and clarity  which is why I always consider all 4Cs together. Bigger isn’t always better if it sacrifices sparkle

✨ My Takeaway: The 4Cs are a fantastic guide, but what really matters is how a diamond makes you feel. I choose stones that dazzle, feel balanced, and compliment the design because jewellery is meant to be worn, loved, and admired every day.