Diamond Quality Chart

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The cut of a diamond refers to how well it has been shaped and faceted, and it affects how light reflects and disperses within the stone. It is the most important factor for determining a diamond's overall beauty. A well-cut diamond will sparkle more. The cut grade includes the proportions, symmetry, and polish of the diamond. The quality of the cut can range from Poor to Excellent.

Diamonds come in a range of colors, from colorless to shades of yellow and brown. The color scale typically ranges from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown). Colorless diamonds (D-F) are the most valuable, as they allow more light to pass through them, increasing their brilliance.Diamond color refers to the presence of any color, usually yellow or brown, in the diamond. The color grading scale ranges from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown). Diamonds graded D-F are considered colorless and are the most valuable, as they allow the maximum amount of light to pass through, enhancing their brilliance. G-J diamonds are near colorless and may have slight traces of color detectable only by an expert. As the scale moves toward K-Z, the presence of color becomes more noticeable, with diamonds in this range displaying varying degrees of yellow or brown. While diamonds with more color are generally less expensive, they may still be beautiful and have their own unique appeal. In general, the less color in a diamond, the higher its value, as colorless diamonds offer greater sparkle and fire.

Carat refers to the weight of a diamond, not its size, though the two are often correlated. One carat equals 200 milligrams (0.2 grams). The term "carat" is derived from the carob tree’s seeds, which were historically used as a standard for weighing gemstones. Larger diamonds are rarer and typically more expensive because of their scarcity, but the price is also influenced by the other 3 Cs—cut, color, and clarity. It's important to note that two diamonds of the same carat weight can vary greatly in value depending on their cut, clarity, and color. Additionally, diamonds are priced per carat, with the price per carat increasing as the carat weight increases. For example, a 1.5-carat diamond may cost more per carat than a 1-carat diamond due to its larger size and rarity.

Clarity refers to the presence of internal (inclusions) and external (blemishes) imperfections in a diamond. These imperfections can affect the diamond's appearance and brilliance, but many are microscopic and invisible to the naked eye. The clarity of a diamond is graded on a scale from Flawless (FL), meaning no visible imperfections, to Included (I1, I2, I3), where inclusions are noticeable to the naked eye and may affect the diamond’s beauty. Between these extremes are grades like VVS (Very, Very Slightly Included), VS (Very Slightly Included), and SI (Slightly Included), which refer to the size, visibility, and impact of inclusions under magnification. Diamonds with fewer or smaller inclusions are generally more valuable, though diamonds with slightly lower clarity grades can still look stunning, especially when the imperfections are small or well-hidden. The clarity grade affects the price, but for many buyers, the differences may be imperceptible to the naked eye.

Technically speaking, there are no more C's of Diamonds other than Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat. However, there is another Criteria which we at Cranberri Diamonds, refer to as the Fifth C of Diamond Grading and it is the Certification of Diamonds and we would even go further and state the IGI certificate.

Everybody can issue a certificate specifying the Four C's of a bespoken diamond. But the question is are they qualified and professional enough to do so? (and that assuming they have the integrity to do so). Over the years many reputable jewelry companies issued their own certificate of authenticity as for the diamond's quality and attributes. But those companies have the incentive to lie (or at least to round it up) towards their own sake. A minor "mistake" of grading a diamond as D instead of E means A LOT of money. Therefore, only trust the objective certificate of a gemological institute and the IGI's certificate is known to be strict non-compromising and accurate. Why settle for anything else?