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    1. Home
    2. Education
    3. Diamonds

    What are the Four C's of Diamonds

    The Four Cs of Diamonds

    Our Four C's of Diamonds guide can help you decide on the most important factors when shopping for a diamond.

    • Carat
    • Cut
    • Color
    • Clarity

    The Carat Weight

    The word carat derives from the word carob, a Mediterranean seed, which has an extremely consistent weight for measuring. The greater the carat weight, the rarer, and more valuable the diamond becomes. Five metric carats weighs exactly 1 gram.

    Some people want the largest diamond possible. If size is a priority, we at Washington Diamond can help you classify the proper cut, color and clarity to fit your budget economically, and fit your jewelry beautifully. Many of our engagement rings can fit diamonds up to 5.00 carats, but each ring has different size constraints based on its size and the type of setting. Prong settings can be manipulated to fit virtually any size diamond, but tension-set diamonds and bezel set diamonds have more limitations on size.

    The Cut

    The true definition of cut is the quality of the proportions and symmetry of the diamond. Your diamond's proportions make a vast difference on how brightly your diamond shines. An 'ideal cut' diamond is one that allows the maximum amount of light to return through the top of the diamond, which takes into consideration the depth, table size, crown height and angle, girdle thickness and more. Our diamond professionals will be happy to assist you in selecting the best diamond cut.

    After a rough diamond is mined, it is evaluated to determine its best possible cut, in order to maintain the maximum clarity, color, and carat weight. The term 'cut' is often confused with diamond 'shape', such as round brilliant or princess cut.

    Excellent

    This is the rarest cut grade and reflects the most light.

    Very Good

    This cut grade reflects nearly as much light as an Excellent cut grade, but for a lower price.

    Good

    This cut grade reflects most of the light that enters the diamond, but not as much as a Very Good cut grade.

    Fair

    This cut grade may appear dull or even glassy, and is very inexpensive.

    Poor

    This cut grade is not carried by Washington Diamond and is typically not recommended.

    Excellent
    Very Good
    Good
    Fair
    Poor
    Not carried by Washington Diamond

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    The Color

    Color is one of the more noticeable attributes of a diamond and has a heavy impact on the price of the stone. Diamonds range from colorless to yellow or light brown, and are sometimes found in a spectrum of fancy colors, including yellow, blue, and even red diamonds. The less color, the rarer the diamond. After 'Z' on the color scale, diamonds become fancy yellow, which cost more because of their rarity.

    Z-N
    M-K
    Noticeable Color
    J
    I
    H
    G
    Near Colorless
    F
    E
    D
    Colorless
    Z-N
    M-K
    J
    I
    H
    G
    F
    E
    D
    Noticeable Color
    Near Colorless
    Colorless

    The Clarity

    Diamonds are composed of mostly carbon. During the heating process, other elements become trapped inside, giving each diamond its own unique fingerprint. These inclusions help identify the clarity of your diamond. All diamonds are viewed through a 10x magnification lens by diamond graders.

    Flawless

    No inclusions or blemishes are visible to a skilled grader.

    Internally Flawless

    No inclusions and only blemishes are visible to a skilled grader.

    Very Very Slightly Included

    Inclusions are difficult for a skilled grader to see.

    Very Slightly Included

    Inclusions are clearly visible but can be characterized as minor.

    Slightly Included

    Inclusions are noticeable to a skilled grader.

    Included

    Inclusions are obvious and may affect transparency and brilliance.

    FFlawless
    IFInternally Flawless
    VVS1
    VVS2
    Very Very Slightly Included
    VS1
    VS2
    Very Slightly Included
    SI1
    SI2
    Slightly Included
    I1
    I2
    I3
    Included

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    Washington Diamond
    1245 W Broad St, Falls Church, VA 22046
    (703) 536-3600

    Washington Diamond
    1245 W Broad St
    Falls Church, VA 22046
    (703) 536-3600
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