4C's Of Diamond Quality

Diamond colour, clarity, cut and carat weight are collectively termed the “4Cs” – the factors that, when combined, define a diamond’s quality and ultimately determine it value.

Beautiful. Rare. Cherished. Each diamond is unique and is a miracle of time, place, and change. And each has specific qualities that establish its value.


Until the middle of the twentieth century, there was no agreed-upon standard by which diamonds could be judged. GIA created the first, and now globally accepted standard for describing diamonds: Colour, Clarity, Cut, and Carat Weight. Today, the 4Cs of Diamond Quality is the universal method for assessing the quality of any diamond, anywhere in the world. The creation of the Diamond 4Cs meant two very important things: diamond quality could be communicated in a universal language, and diamond customers could now know exactly what they were about to purchase.

As the creator of the Diamond 4Cs and the International Diamond Grading System™, GIA is not only a global authority but the world’s trusted source for unbiased assessment.

Is There A Fifth C?

A diamond certificate, also known as a diamond grading report, as they are known in the diamond industry, are often called the fifth C, in addition to the well-known 4Cs of diamond stones: colour, clarity, cut, and carat.

Every diamond purchase from Ramzi & Co.® includes an independent laboratory certificate, such as GIA, IGI, or HRD, providing assurance of the diamond's authenticity and quality.

What is Diamond Colour?

A diamond’s colour grade measures the pigment or tint of the stone with clear being the most desirable. The most clear, most desirable diamonds earn a grade of D while the least desirable earn a grade of Z.

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  • D – F (Colourless)

    Diamonds in this colour range do not have any visible yellowish or brownish tints. They are absolutely coloureless and rare. The most chemically pure diamonds of the D to Z range. Recommended set in platinum or white gold settings.

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  • G – J (Near Colourless)

    Diamonds in this colour range offer exceptional value for money. Their colour is often unnoticeable except by trained graders.

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  • K – M (Faint Colour)

    Diamonds in this colour range have a slight yellow tint that is detectable even to the unaided eye. Recommended set in yellow or rose gold settings to make the diamond appear less tinted.

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  • N – R (Very Light Colour)

    Diamonds in this colour range have a noticeable yellow or brown tint. These diamonds are much less valued than higher grades.

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  • S – Z (Light Colour)

    These diamonds appear distinctly yellow or brown but not so coloured to be considered “fancy” coloured diamonds.

Diamond Clarity Grade

Diamond clarity is one of the four quality factors (the 4Cs) that describe and determine the value of a diamond. An inclusion or blemish refers to an imperfection in the stone, and the most valuable diamonds are free of any inclusions. Take our advice, if you’re shopping on a budget, spend the funds you have wisely on a better cut before you splurge for clarity.Many inclusions and blemishes are too tiny to be seen by anyone other than a trained diamond grader. To the naked eye, a VS1 and an SI2 diamond may look exactly the same, but these diamonds are quite different in terms of overall quality. This is why expert and accurate assessment of diamond clarity is extremely important. Knowing what diamond clarity truly means helps you understand the factors that contribute to diamond quality and price.

I3-I2 ─ I1 ─ SI2 ─ SI1 ─ VS2 ─ VS1 ─ VVS2 ─ VVS1 ─ IF; and FL

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  • FL (Flawless)

    Even under 10x magnification, FL (Flawless) diamonds will not show any inclusions or blemishes. They are the highest clarity grade and the rarest type of diamond clarity.

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  • IF (Internally Flawless)

    Under 10x magnification, IF (Internally Flawless) diamonds will not show any inclusions, only small blemishes on the diamond’s surface.

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  • VVS1-VVS2 (Very Very Slightly Included)

    Inclusions are so slight; they are difficult for even a skilled grader to see under 10x magnification.

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  • VS1-VS2 (Very Slightly Included)

    Inclusions are observed with effort under 10x magnification but can be characterised as minor. Inclusions are not visible to the naked eye.

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  • SI1-SI2 (Slightly Included)

    Inclusions are noticeable under 10x magnification but may or may not be noticeable to the naked eye.

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  • I1-I3 (Included)

    Inclusions are obvious under 10x magnification which may affect transparency and brilliance.

What is Diamond Cut?

A diamond’s cut shows off its best feature: light refraction. Bling, sparkle, lustre- you know, that famous diamond flash. A well-cut diamond will shine brilliantly. This is why cut is considered the most important quality in the 4Cs rating system.

Understand that when choosing your diamond, a highly rated stone in all of the other criteria in the 4Cs may appear dull if it has a poor cut. We cannot stress how important this particular category of diamond pizazz cut is.

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  • Deep Cut

    When a diamond is too deep the entering light will hit the first pavilion sharply and hit the second pavilion at a low angle causing light to escape through the sides and bottom of the diamond.
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  • Well Cut

    When the diamond is well cut, it reflects the light to each pavilion at the correct angle causing light to reflect back to crown by producing maximum brilliance and fire
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  • Shallow Cut

    When the diamond is too shallow, the entering light will hit the pavilion at a low angle causing light to escape through the bottom of the diamond.

Diamond Cut Grade

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  • Ideal/ Excellent

    Ideal and Excellent cut diamonds radiate with magnificent sparkle, fire, and brilliance due to almost all of the incoming light is reflected through their table. They are graded by using a very particular set of specifications. Due to their excellent proportions, polish, and symmetry ratings, Ideal and Excellent cut diamonds are extremely valuable. They exhibit the maximum light reflection, brilliance, and fire.

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  • Very Good

    Very Good cut diamonds offer exceptional brilliance and fire. A large majority of the entering light reflects through the diamond’s table. They provide similar sparkle to those of Excellent cut grade diamonds and exceptional value for money.

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  • Good

    Good cut grade diamonds reflect most of the light that enters them. Diamonds in this range offer excellent value for those who want to stay on a budget.

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  • Fair/ Poor

    A diamond graded as Fair or Poor cut reflects only a small proportion of the light that enters it and therefore offers very little brilliance. They tend to appear dull to the naked eye.

Diamond Carat

A carat is simply a weight measurement for gemstones. Most people think the higher the carat number, the larger the stone is, however this isn’t always true. The cut of the diamond makes a big difference in how large the stone appears.

For this reason, it’s often a good idea to choose a diamond slightly below your ideal carat weight. For instance, purchase a 1.9 carat stone instead of a 2.0. The savings can be significant.

Smaller carat weight diamonds with Very Good and Ideal/ Excellent cut grades will appear larger and remember that a larger carat weight diamond could appear smaller with cut grades such as Good, Fair/ Poor.