The 4Cs Explained

The 4Cs, Explained

Every diamond is graded on four characteristics — Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat. Together they determine a diamond’s beauty and value. Here’s what each means, and how we think about them at Stienhardt.

Cut

Cut is the most important of the 4Cs — it’s what gives a diamond its sparkle. A well-cut diamond returns light to your eye; a poorly cut one looks dull no matter its other grades. Cut grades run from Excellent to Poor. Every Stienhardt diamond is cut to Excellent — we hold ourselves to the reference standard.

Color

Diamond color is graded D (colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown). The less color, the rarer and more brilliant the stone. D–F are colorless; G–J are near-colorless and offer exceptional value, appearing white to the eye — especially in yellow or rose gold.

Clarity

Clarity measures the tiny natural inclusions inside a diamond, from Flawless (FL) to Included (I). Most inclusions are invisible without magnification — an “eye-clean” VS1–VS2 diamond looks flawless to the naked eye while costing far less than a Flawless stone.

Carat

Carat is a diamond’s weight, not its size — one carat equals 0.2 grams. Two diamonds of equal carat can look different depending on their cut. Because ours are cut to Excellent proportions, they carry their weight beautifully across the top.

The Stienhardt Approach

We’re a lab-grown diamond house in the NYC Diamond District, crafting since 1956. Our diamonds are IGI or GIA certified, conflict-free, and cut to Excellent — so you can focus on the shape and setting you love. Explore our lab diamonds or talk to a diamond expert.