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Diamond Education

The 4C's And Your Diamond

Select the Perfect Diamond

Diamond Essentials and the 4 C's

This interactive walk-through will guide you through key facts and information about diamonds, and specifically how the 4 C's of any diamond will contribute to it sparkle and shine. Each section offers indepth reading, or a snippet of learning across each of these interactive sections. Use the arrows to guide your way through the DX Diamond Education pages.

Shape

The 4C's And Your Diamond
Diamond Education

What is Diamond Shape?

Choosing a diamond shape is crucial. While round diamonds remain popular, fancy shapes like oval, cushion, radiant, pear, heart and princess are gaining traction. At DX, we offer a wide range of shapes because we believe each ring should be as perfect as the love it symbolizes.

Discover the shape that reflects your individuality and union.

Explore Shape - The 4C's
Your Selection
Round Diamond Shape
Your Selection
Oval Diamond Shape
Your Selection
Cushion Diamond Shape
Your Selection
Pear Diamond Shape
Your Selection
Emerald Diamond Shape
Your Selection
Princess Diamond Shape
Your Selection
Radiant Diamond Shape
Your Selection
Heart Diamond Shape
Your Selection
Marquise Diamond Shape
Your Selection
Asscher Diamond Shape

Carat

The 4C's And Your Diamond
Diamond Education

What is Carat Weight?

Carat refers to the unit of measurement which is used to weigh diamonds. Often, this is the most obvious visual element when we compare diamonds.

Carat is sometimes confused with the visual size of stones but it refers to weight only. The size does impact different stones’ measurements though.

Shapes and types of gemstones can also show slightly different readings due to variable densities.

Explore Carat - The 4C's
0.50 CT0.75 CT1.00 CT1.25 CT1.50 CT2.00 CT2.50 CT3.00 CT
0.50 Carat

Shown with 0.50CT round brilliant cut diamond

0.75 Carat

Shown with 0.75CT round brilliant cut diamond

1.00 Carat

Shown with 1.00CT round brilliant cut diamond

1.25 Carat

Shown with 1.25CT round brilliant cut diamond

1.50 Carat

Shown with 1.50CT round brilliant cut diamond

2.00 Carat

Shown with 2.00CT round brilliant cut diamond

2.50 Carat

Shown with 2.50CT round brilliant cut diamond

3.00 Carat

Shown with 3.00CT round brilliant cut diamond

Cut

The 4C's And Your Diamond
Diamond Education

What is Diamond Cut?

Cut describes the symmetry, balance, proportion and polish created by the diamond cutter, not the stone’s actual geometric shape. A diamond’s inherent beauty is determined directly by the expertise of its cut.

Stones cut the most skilfully will refract and reflect the most amount of light. Diamond cutters have a special understanding of the ways in which light penetrates and radiates through diamonds.

Cutters follow a special set of exact angles and proportions to maximise each diamond’s intrinsic brilliance and showcase its sparkle.

Explore Cut - The 4C's
PoorFairGoodVery GoodExcellentSuper Ideal
Poor

Diamonds which reflect only a little of the light entering them. Not carried by Diamond Exchange.

Fair

Diamonds which reflect some of the light entering them. Not carried by Diamond Exchange.

Good

Diamonds which reflect most of the light entering them. Not carried by Diamond Exchange.

Very Good

Reflecting almost as much light as the ideal cut, these diamonds are excellent quality at a cost significantly lower.

Excellent

Diamonds which radiate almost all the light entering them.Finished with precision for maximum sparkle, they fall within the top 3% of quality determined by cut.

Super Ideal

Diamonds which have perfect dimensions and proportions and emit optimal light. The cut to which the most rigorous standards are applied.

Clarity

The 4C's And Your Diamond
Diamond Education

What is Diamond Clarity?

The term ‘clarity’ is used in reference to a diamond’s purity and rarity. Minuscule characteristics can be trapped on or within a diamond when it is formed.

Gemmologists will examine these surface and internal characteristics under 10x magnification when assigning a grading to each stone. Diamonds with little or no inclusions are especially rare and valuable.

Explore Clarity - The 4C's
SI2SI1VS2VS1VVS2VVS1IFFL
SI2 - Slightly Included

Inclusions are visible under 10x magnification and may be visible to the naked eye. More inclusions than SI1.

SI1 - Slightly Included

Inclusions are visible under 10x magnification, but are generally not visible to the naked eye.

VS2 - Very Slightly Included

Slightly more inclusions than VS1, difficult to see under 10x magnification and typically cannot be seen with the naked eye.

VS1 - Very Slightly Included

Inclusions cannot be seen with the naked eye and are difficult to see under 10x magnification.

VVS2 - Very Very Slightly Included

Slightly more inclusions than VVS1, but still very difficult to see under 10x magnification even for expert gemologists.

VVS1 - Very Very Slightly Included

Miniscule inclusions are very difficult to see under 10x magnification, even for expert gemologists.

IF - Internally Flawless

Extremely rare and valuable, these diamonds have no internal flaws but may have minute surface blemishes visible under 10x magnification.

FL - Flawless

Extremely rare and valuable, flawless diamonds have no internal or external flaws. Less than 1% of all diamonds are FL clarity.

Colour

The 4C's And Your Diamond
Diamond Education

What is Diamond Colour?

Colour, graded by GIA standards, indicates the natural hue or lack thereof in a diamond. DX exclusively offers colourless and near-colourless diamonds for their rarity. While colour variations don't necessarily affect value or quality, those with minimal colour are highly sought after.


Traces of elements during formation result in hues like yellow, grey, or brown. Gemstone colour is assessed by hue, tone, and saturation: hue is the primary colour impression, tone is its lightness or darkness, and saturation is its purity and intensity.

Explore Colour - The 4C's
JIHGFED
J COLOUR - Near Colourless

Colour can be detected, but offers good value.

I COLOUR - Near Colourless

Colour can be slightly detected, but offers good value.

H COLOUR - Near Colourless

Colour is only slightly noticeable when compared to diamonds of better grades, but offers excellent value.

G COLOUR - Near Colourless

Colour is only slightly noticeable when compared to diamonds of better grades, but offers excellent value.

F COLOUR - Colourless

Slight colour can be detected by an expert gemmologist, but still considered “colourless”. A high-quality diamond.

E COLOUR - Colourless

Only minute traces of colour can be detected by an expert gemmologist. A rare, high quality diamond.

D COLOUR - Absolutely Colourless

The highest colour grade which is extremely rare and the most valuable.

WHAT IS DIAMOND COLOUR?

Based on the GIA grade scale, colour describes the inherent natural colour or absence of colour perceptible in a diamond. Only colourless and near-colourless diamonds are carried by DX. The less colour in a diamond, the more rare.

Colour within a diamond does not necessarily make it less valuable or compromise its quality, but those with little or no colour are harder to find. Various trace elements during a diamond’s formation cause colours. There are shades of yellow, grey or brown in most diamonds and these are all encompassed by the colour scale.

There are three components to the colour visible in gemstones - hue, tone and saturation. Hue means the essential colour impression - yellow, grey, brown, pink or other. The relative lightness or darkness of the colour is described as its tone. Saturation describes the purity, strength and intensity of the hue.

INTERNATIONAL COLOUR SCALE

The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) created the International Colour Scale, the standard for discussing diamond color. This scale, used globally, was established by the foremost gemmological organization. Each diamond evaluated by the GIA undergoes scrutiny by at least five gemmologists, with a unanimous grade required for certification. The scale spans from D (icy white) to Z (faint yellow).

A DIAMOND'S COMPONENTS

For further guidance, refer to our diamond cut chart. As the quality of a diamond's cut directly affects its sparkle and beauty, Diamond Exchange offers only the finest cut gradings - Very Good, Excellent and Super Ideal.

WHAT COLOUR DO WE RECOMMEND?

For a beautiful white colour, we recommend a colour grading within the range of D (absolutely colourless) to G (near-colourless and excellent value).

WHAT IS DX RECOMMENDED?

If you are looking for the perfect diamond, feel free to connect with our diamond experts. You can also apply the DX Recommended filter to our list of almost 200,000 diamonds to find quality stones we would recommend.