Understanding the 4Cs
The 4Cs — Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat — are the universal language for describing diamond quality. Understanding these helps you make an informed decision.
A Note on Single-Crystal Rings
The 4Cs were developed for evaluating faceted gemstones. For single-crystal diamond rings, some criteria apply differently. Since the entire ring is diamond — not just a mounted stone — we evaluate the material quality rather than traditional gemstone metrics. However, understanding the 4Cs remains valuable for appreciating what makes one diamond superior to another.
Cut
Cut refers to how well a diamond has been shaped and faceted. It's often considered the most important of the 4Cs because it most directly affects brilliance — how much light the diamond reflects back to your eye.
Cut Grades
For Single-Crystal Rings
While traditional cut grades apply to faceted gemstones, the polish quality of a single-crystal ring is analogous. We ensure every surface is polished to maximize light performance throughout the entire ring structure.
Color
Diamond color is graded on a scale from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown). Colorless diamonds are rarer and more valuable because they allow more light to pass through, resulting in more brilliance.
Color Scale
| Grade | Category | Description |
|---|---|---|
| D-E-F | Colorless | No discernible color. Extremely rare and valuable. |
| G-H-I-J | Near Colorless | Slight color detectable by experts. Excellent value. |
| K-L-M | Faint | Slight yellow tint visible to the naked eye. |
| N-Z | Light | Noticeable yellow or brown tint. |
Our Standard
We only use diamond material graded D to G for our single-crystal rings. Because the entire ring is diamond, any color would be more noticeable than in a small mounted stone. Our commitment to near-colorless material ensures maximum brilliance.
Clarity
Clarity measures the presence of inclusions (internal flaws) and blemishes (surface imperfections). These natural characteristics form during diamond growth and affect how light travels through the stone.
Clarity Scale
No inclusions visible under 10x magnification. Extremely rare.
Inclusions difficult for experts to see under 10x magnification.
Minor inclusions visible under 10x magnification. Not visible to naked eye.
Inclusions noticeable under 10x magnification. May be visible to naked eye.
Obvious inclusions that may affect transparency and brilliance.
Critical for Single-Crystal Rings
Clarity is especially important for single-crystal diamond rings. Since you're wearing the diamond itself — not just looking at it — any significant inclusions would be visible and could potentially create structural weak points. We only use VS2 clarity or higher.
Carat
Carat is a measure of weight, not size. One carat equals 200 milligrams (0.2 grams). Larger diamonds are rarer, which is why price increases exponentially with carat weight.
Weight vs. Size
Two diamonds of equal carat weight can appear different sizes depending on how they're cut. A well-cut diamond maximizes surface area for its weight, appearing larger than a poorly cut stone of the same carat weight.
Price Impact
Diamond prices don't increase linearly with carat weight. A 2-carat diamond costs significantly more than twice the price of a 1-carat diamond of equal quality, because larger rough crystals are much rarer.
For Single-Crystal Rings
Creating a single-crystal diamond ring requires a rough diamond of 50+ carats — far larger than most gem-quality diamonds. The finished ring typically contains 10-25 carats of diamond material, making it substantially more diamond than any traditional ring.
Our Quality Standards
Every single-crystal diamond ring we create meets or exceeds these standards. Each ring comes with certification from GIA, HRD Antwerp, or IGI documenting its specific characteristics.
Learn More
Have questions about diamond quality or our standards? We're happy to explain in detail.