Clarity ranges on a scale from Flawless to Included. Some ratings on the scale also have subcategories. For example, Slightly Included (SI) has two subcategories: SI1 and SI2. There are eleven possible clarity grades. Flawless (F): The diamond shows no inclusions or blemishes of any sort under 10X magnification. Internally Flawless (IF): The diamond has no inclusion when examined using 10X magnification, but it may have some minor blemishes. Very Very Slightly Included (VVS1, VVS2): The diamond contains minute inclusions that are difficult to see under 10X magnification. Very Slightly Included (VS1, VS2): The diamond contains minute inclusions such as small crystals, clouds, or feathers when observed under 10X magnification. Slightly Included (SI1, SI2): The diamond contains inclusions–clouds, included crystals, knots, cavities, and feathers–that are noticeable under 10X magnification. Included (I1, I2, I3): The diamond contains inclusions–possibly large feathers or large included crystals–that are obvious under 10X magnification and may affect transparency and brilliance.

Diamond color is graded on a scale from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown). A diamond’s color is graded upside down. The most common colors found in diamonds are yellow and light brown. The less color a stone has the more rare it is and the more valuable it becomes.

Cut and shape are two different attributes of a diamond. The cut of a diamond is what affects it’s ability to return light and sparkle. A diamond’s cut grade evaluates two factors–symmetry and polish. Symmetry takes into account each angle and the facet alignment of the stone. Polish refers to the surface quality and fineness of the finishing of the stone. A diamond’s cut, polish, and symmetry grade will fall in one of five categories—excellent, very good, good, fair or poor.

Carat weight is often the biggest determining factor in a diamond’s price, and usually the most familiar of the 4 Cs. Larger stones are more rare, and therefore more costly. The relationship between carat weight and cost is exponential. A Carat is made up of 100 points, just like a dollar has 100 pennies. One Carat is very light–the equivalent of 1/5 of a gram.

A certification or report typically comes from a third party laboratory that has graded the diamond prior to us showing it to the client. However, not all laboratories are created equal. Make sure that the laboratory that has graded your diamond is reputable and accurate. Due to GIA’s long and illustrious history in the diamond business, we prefer to show GIA certified diamonds to our clients.