Diamonds 4C's & Shapes
The 4C's
A diamond is evaluated based on four key factors known as the 4Cs — Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat Weight. These characteristics together define both the diamond’s appearance and its value. Read on to explore each of the 4Cs in detail.

Cut
The way a diamond reflects light is the most important factor to consider, as it directly influences the stone’s brilliance, fire, and overall visual impact.
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Carat
Carat is the standard unit of weight for diamonds, where 1 carat equals 200 milligrams.

Color
The color of a diamond is graded on a letter scale from D to Z, with D being completely colorless and Z showing a noticeable yellow or brown tint.
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Clarity
Describes the presence or absence of imperfections, along with their size, location, and whether they are internal or external in origin.
CUTS
What Does "Cut"
Mean in a Diamond?
The cut of a diamond refers to how well its facets — the flat surfaces on the stone — have been crafted. It’s the most important factor affecting a diamond’s brilliance and sparkle. A well-cut diamond reflects light beautifully, making it appear bright and lively, while a poorly cut one can look dull or dark. The cut isn’t about the diamond’s shape, but how precisely it’s been cut — not too deep, not too shallow. Each diamond shape has its own ideal proportions to maximize its beauty.

CARATS

What Affects a
Diamond’s Size?
Two diamonds with the same carat weight can look very different in size — and the main reason for that is the cut.
A poorly cut diamond, especially one that’s too deep, may hide much of its weight in its depth rather than spreading it out across its width. This results in a diamond that looks smaller from the top view, even if the carat weight is the same.
Each diamond shape has its own ideal proportions to maximize visible size and sparkle. That’s why we recommend prioritizing cut quality over carat weight — a well-cut diamond with slightly lower carat weight can actually look larger and more brilliant than a heavier, poorly cut stone.
Color
Understanding
Diamond Color
Diamonds, when it comes to color, are generally classified into two categories: fancy-colored and white (colorless). Fancy-colored diamonds come in vibrant hues such as yellow, pink, green, and more, while white diamonds are evaluated based on the absence of color. The color of a white diamond is graded on a D to Z scale, where D indicates a completely colorless diamond — extremely rare and valuable — and Z represents diamonds with a light yellow or brown tint. It’s important to note that no specific color grade is inherently more beautiful than another; it’s a matter of rarity and personal preference. In fact, once set in jewelry, diamonds graded H and above typically appear colorless to the naked eye, making them an excellent balance between appearance and value.

Clarity
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Understanding
Diamond Clarity
Almost all diamonds have some level of imperfection, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. These natural flaws — known as inclusions — are one of the key indicators that help distinguish a natural diamond from a synthetic one. The number, position, and size of these imperfections determine a diamond’s clarity grade. Most experts agree that clarity has the least impact on visual appearance, especially when the diamond is eye-clean (i.e., inclusions are not visible to the naked eye).
Clarity is graded on a scale from FL (Flawless) to I3 (Included 3).
- FL & IF
- VVS1 & VVS2
- VS1 & VS2
- SI1 & SI2
- I1, I2 & I3
Diamond Shapes
Round
MM | Carat Weight |
---|---|
1.0 | 0.005 |
1.3 | 0.01 |
1.5 | 0.015 |
1.7 | 0.02 |
1.8 | 0.025 |
2.0 | 0.03 |
2.1 | 0.035 |
2.2 | 0.04 |
2.4 | 0.05 |
2.5 | 0.06 |
2.7 | 0.07 |
2.8 | 0.08 |
2.9 | 0.09 |
3.0 | 0.10 |
3.1 | 0.11 |
3.2 | 0.12 |
3.3 | 0.14 |
3.4 | 0.15 |
3.5 | 0.16 |
3.6 | 0.17 |
3.7 | 0.18 |
3.8 | 0.20 |
3.9 | 0.22 |
4.0 | 0.25 |
4.2 | 0.30 |
4.4 | 0.33 |
4.5 | 0.35 |
4.6 | 0.38 |
MM | Carat Weight |
---|---|
4.8 | 0.40 |
5.0 | 0.50 |
5.4 | 0.60 |
5.5 | 0.63 |
5.6 | 0.65 |
6.0 | 0.75 |
6.4 | 0.90 |
6.6 | 1.00 |
6.8 | 1.17 |
7.0 | 1.25 |
7.2 | 1.35 |
7.5 | 1.55 |
7.8 | 1.75 |
8.0 | 2.00 |
8.4 | 2.15 |
8.6 | 2.25 |
9.0 | 2.75 |
9.4 | 3.00 |
9.6 | 3.18 |
9.8 | 3.35 |
10.0 | 3.50 |
10.2 | 3.75 |
10.4 | 4.00 |
10.6 | 4.25 |
10.8 | 4.5 |
11.0 | 4.75 |
11.2 | 5.00 |
12.0 | 6.50 |
Cushion
MM | Carat Weight |
---|---|
4.20 | 0.40 |
4.90 | 0.50 |
5.25 | 0.75 |
5.50 | 0.90 |
6.00 | 1.25 |
6.50 | 1.50 |
7.00 | 2.00 |
MM | Carat Weight |
---|---|
7.50 | 2.50 |
8.00 | 3.00 |
8.50 | 3.50 |
9.00 | 4.00 |
9.50 | 5.00 |
10.00 | 5.70 |
Princess
MM | Carat Weight |
---|---|
1.50 | 0.015 |
1.75 | 0.03 |
2.00 | 0.06 |
2.25 | 0.08 |
2.50 | 0.10 |
2.75 | 0.13 |
3.00 | 0.18 |
3.25 | 0.26 |
3.50 | 0.29 |
3.75 | 0.31 |
4.00 | 0.39 |
4.25 | 0.44 |
MM | Carat Weight |
---|---|
4.50 | 0.50 |
4.75 | 0.64 |
5.00 | 0.75 |
5.25 | 0.90 |
5.50 | 1.00 |
5.75 | 1.11 |
6.00 | 1.25 |
6.50 | 1.50 |
6.75 | 1.75 |
7.00 | 2.00 |
7.50 | 2.50 |
Oval
MM | Carat Weight |
---|---|
4 × 3 | 0.20 |
5 × 3 | 0.25 |
5 × 4 | 0.40 |
6 × 4 | 0.50 |
6.5 × 4.5 | 0.65 |
7 × 5 | 0.75 |
7.5 × 5.5 | 1.00 |
8 × 6 | 1.25 |
MM | Carat Weight |
---|---|
8.5 × 6.5 | 1.50 |
9 × 6 | 1.75 |
9 × 7 | 2.00 |
10 × 8 | 3.00 |
10 × 8.5 | 3.50 |
11 × 9 | 4.00 |
12 × 10 | 5.00 |
Asscher
MM | Carat Weight |
---|---|
4.00 | 0.40 |
4.50 | 0.50 |
5.00 | 0.75 |
5.50 | 1.00 |
6.00 | 1.25 |
6.50 | 1.50 |
7.00 | 2.00 |
MM | Carat Weight |
---|---|
7.50 | 2.50 |
8.00 | 3.00 |
8.50 | 3.50 |
9.00 | 4.00 |
9.50 | 5.00 |
10.00 | 5.70 |
Pear
MM | Carat Weight |
---|---|
4 × 3 | 0.15 |
5 × 3 | 0.30 |
6 × 3 | 0.50 |
7 × 5 | 0.75 |
MM | Carat Weight |
---|---|
8 × 5 | 1.00 |
8 × 6 | 1.20 |
9 × 6 | 1.50 |
12 × 7 | 2.50 |
Emerald
MM | Carat Weight |
---|---|
4 × 3 | 0.15 |
5 × 3 | 0.30 |
6 × 3 | 0.50 |
7 × 5 | 0.75 |
MM | Carat Weight |
---|---|
8 × 5 | 1.00 |
8 × 6 | 1.20 |
9 × 6 | 1.50 |
12 × 7 | 2.50 |
Radiant
MM | Carat Weight |
---|---|
4 × 3 | 0.20 |
5 × 3 | 0.25 |
6 × 4 | 0.50 |
6.5 × 4.5 | 0.75 |
7 × 5 | 1.00 |
7.5 × 5.8 | 1.25 |
8 × 6 | 2.00 |
8.5 × 6.5 | 2.25 |
9 × 7 | 2.50 |
9.5 × 7.5 | 3.00 |
10 × 7 | 3.31 |
10 × 8 | 3.50 |
MM | Carat Weight |
---|---|
11 × 9 | 5.05 |
12 × 9 | 6.06 |
11.5 × 10 | 6.45 |
13 × 9 | 6.54 |
12 × 10 | 6.79 |
14 × 10 | 8.47 |
13 × 11 | 9.33 |
13.5 × 11.5 | 10.19 |
15 × 11 | 11.48 |
14 × 12 | 12.14 |
16 × 12 | 14.22 |
Heart
MM | Carat Weight |
---|---|
2.90 | 0.15 |
3.40 | 0.20 |
4.00 | 0.25 |
4.20 | 0.30 |
4.50 | 0.35 |
4.80 | 0.40 |
5.00 | 0.50 |
(MM | Carat Weight |
---|---|
5.50 | 0.65 |
6.00 | 0.85 |
6.50 | 1.00 |
7.00 | 1.25 |
7.50 | 1.65 |
8.00 | 2.00 |
Marquise
MM | Carat Weight |
---|---|
4 x 2 | 0.10 |
5 x 2 | 0.20 |
5 x 3 | 0.25 |
6 x 3 | 0.30 |
7 x 3 | 0.35 |
7 x 4 | 0.40 |
8 x 4 | 0.50 |
8.5 x 6.5 | 0.65 |
9 x 4 | 0.70 |
9 x 4.5 | 0.75 |
MM | Carat Weight |
---|---|
9 x 5 | 0.80 |
10 x 5 | 1 – 1.20 |
11 x 5 | 1.50 |
11 x 5.5 | 1.75 |
12 x 6 | 2.00 |
13 x 5.5 | 2.50 |
13 x 6 | 2.75 |
14 x 7 | 3.00 |
15 x 7 | 3.50 × 4.00 |
16 x 8 | 4.50 |