Diamond Guide - The 4 C's

Cut

Cut refers not only to a diamond's shape, but more importantly to its proportions. A well-proportioned diamond brings out the maximum beauty. A diamond cut too deep or too shallow loses light through the side or bottom, resulting in loss of brilliance.

Clarity

Clarity is the degree to which a diamond is free from inclusions and blemishes, which can hinder the light as it passes through your diamond.

Like people, diamonds have natural "birthmarks" that vary in size, shape, position, quantity and color. These birthmarks, or inclusions and blemishes, are formed deep in the earth during the diamond's growth. Blemishes can also result from the diamond cutting process.

Color

Fancy color diamonds aside, the best, most beautiful color for a diamond is no color at all. The Gemological Institute of America has created a scale to measure diamond color, ranging from D (colorless) to Z (yellow). Fancy color diamonds are graded Z and higher. Most Haywood diamonds are graded near colorless.

Carat

Diamonds are weighed in units called carats. A carat is measured in increments called points. One carat is equal to 100 points. Carat weight is the easiest of the 4Cs to determine because it is measured on a diamond scale. But two diamonds of equal weight can have very unequal values depending upon the cut, color and clarity of each.

Certified Diamonds

A certificate is a blueprint of a loose diamond. Known as either a diamond grading report or diamond dossier, this certificate gives a diamond’s exact measurements, weight, cut and overall quality.