If you have been looking for diamond jewelry, you have probably had more than one friend tell you about the “4 C’s” of diamond buying. Today, we are going to dig into what exactly the 4 C’s are and why each is important. We’ll even talk about the 5th C that you all think about, but don’t like to talk about so much.

So just when did all of this 4 C’s business come about? The 4 C’s system we know as the accepted standard for grading and classifying diamonds was created by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in the ’40s and ’50s. In fact, as part of our continued dedication to excellence, the staff at SuperJeweler features several members whom hold degrees or certificates from the GIA.

The 4 C’s: Carat, Color, Clarity and Cut.

• Carat – This is the easiest of the 4 C’s to explain. Simply put a diamond on a scale, the carat (ct) is the diamond’s weight. Carat weight was originally based on the equivalency to grains of sand; yesterday’s 4-grainer is today’s 1ct.




• Color - This represents… wait for it… the color of the diamond! The grading for diamond color is from D (colorless) to Z (yellow or brown) It is important to note that color is not the color of the diamond if the diamond color has been enhanced, such as in this 1/4ct Right Hand Diamond Ring with Pave White and Blue Diamonds. For GIA purposes, color represents the natural color of the diamond. The scale begins at D because the colored gemstone industry had already begun using A, B, and C to distinguish the color of gemstones.




• Clarity – In the simplest of terms, clarity represents the amount, type, and location of inclusions (or imperfections) in the diamond. An expert gemologist will use magnification to look through the diamond to accurately determine the clarity.




• Cut - Many people think this is the single most important of the 4 C’s. Cut does not refer to the shape, such as brilliant cut, marquise, princess, etc. Cut actually refers to how close the actual diamond has been polished (or cut) to the exact proportions required to produce the maximum fire and brilliance.

A diamond is valued based on all these factors, which when combined, together determine how far from perfect the diamond is. It should not be inferred, however, that a diamond that is not perfect is not rare or valuable. Indeed, most mined diamonds are not gem quality. In fact roughly 80% of all mined diamonds are not gem quality. This brings us to the 5th C…

• Cost - It’s just a simple fact: Not everyone can afford to buy the perfect diamond. Most people, however, can still afford to find the perfect diamond for them at SuperJeweler.

At SuperJeweler, we combine all 5 C’s to offer you the best diamond jewelry at the most affordable prices, from cheap engagement rings to diamond eternity bands and everything in between. When you add our 60-day money back guarantee and lifetime warranty, we are confident that you’ll have a piece of diamond jewelry that not only addresses the 4 C’s, but puts a smile on the face of the one you love. And we think that is even more important than the 4C’s.