The 4Cs of Diamond Quality

Cut, colour, clarity and carat weight explained in practical terms.

Shop Jewellery
Jewellery Care Guide

Cut

Cut is about how successfully a fashioned diamond’s proportions, symmetry and polish work together to return light. It is different from shape. A round diamond and oval diamond are different shapes; each can still be cut well or poorly.

Colour

For the common D-to-Z grading approach used for many natural diamonds, grades move from colourless toward increasingly noticeable yellow or brown body colour. Fancy-colour diamonds are evaluated differently.

Clarity

Clarity considers internal features called inclusions and surface features called blemishes. Their number, size, nature, position and visibility all matter. Many inclusions are extremely difficult to see without magnification.

Carat Weight

Carat is a unit of weight: one metric carat equals 0.2 gram. Carat does not directly equal face-up size because dimensions and proportions vary by shape and cutting style.

Balance the 4Cs

A useful buying decision balances all four factors rather than chasing one number.

The best combination depends on what you notice visually, the setting, stone shape and budget. Gold Factory can compare options side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions

Not necessarily. Spread, depth, proportions and shape affect visible size.

D is a top colourless grade for natural diamonds, but preference and budget vary.

No. Many diamonds with inclusions that are difficult to see without magnification can look beautiful.

No. Shape is separate from cut quality.

Ask Gold Factory

If you would like help applying any of this information to a real piece of jewellery, visit us at 294 Farnham Road, Slough, SL1 4XL, call 01753 536800 or contact us through www.goldfactory.co.uk. Jewellery can vary, so our team can explain the options for the actual item you are considering.

Visit Gold Factory

Monday to Saturday: 11:00 am to 6:30 pm. Sunday closed.

Shop Jewellery
Jewellery Care Guide