Article: The 4Cs of Diamonds: Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat Explained
The 4Cs of Diamonds: Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat Explained
Buying guide
The 4Cs are the four grades on a diamond report: cut, colour, clarity and carat. Cut decides how much a diamond sparkles, colour runs from D (colourless) to Z (light yellow), clarity runs from Flawless to Included, and carat is weight (1 carat = 0.2 g). For a ring or everyday piece, put cut first, then choose colour and clarity grades that look clean to the eye, such as G-H colour and VS clarity, and spend what is left on carat.
Shop the Classic Round Diamond Ring18K gold · Free delivery in the UAE · Pay in instalments with Tabby or Tamara (UAE and KSA) · Help on WhatsApp
By Lana Al Kamal
Founder and jewellery designer, GIA-trained, Dubai · Updated 13 November 2026
As featured in
Harper's Bazaar ArabiaEmirates WomanGrazia ArabiaJdeed MagazineKey takeaways
- Cut affects sparkle most, so for a round diamond look for an Excellent or Very Good cut grade.
- G-H colour and VS clarity look clean to the eye once set, at a lower price than the top grades.
- Carat is weight, not size: two 1 ct diamonds can look different sizes depending on cut and shape.
What are the 4Cs?
The 4Cs were set out by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) so that any two diamonds can be compared in the same terms. Laboratories such as GIA and IGI grade both natural and lab-grown diamonds and print the grades on a report.
| C | What it measures | Scale | What to look for in a ring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cut | How well the diamond returns light | Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor (round diamonds) | Excellent or Very Good |
| Colour | How colourless the diamond is | D to Z | D to H; G-H looks white once set |
| Clarity | Inclusions and blemishes | FL, IF, VVS1, VVS2, VS1, VS2, SI1, SI2, I1-I3 | VS1 or VS2 look clean to the eye |
| Carat | Weight | 1 ct = 0.2 g | Your budget after the other three |
Pieces in this guide
Classic Round Diamond RingFrom AED 6,000Shop now
Love NecklaceAED 3,800Shop now
Heart Diamonds Necklace Double FaceAED 4,200Shop now
Cut: why it matters most
Cut is about proportions and finish, not shape. A well-cut diamond sends light back up through the top, which is what you see as sparkle; a poorly cut one leaks light and can look dull even with high colour and clarity grades. GIA gives a cut grade to round brilliant diamonds. For fancy shapes such as oval, pear or emerald, look at the polish and symmetry grades and at photos or video of the actual stone. Our diamond shapes guide compares them.
Colour: D to Z
D, E and F are colourless. G to J are near-colourless: the difference from D is hard to see once the diamond is set, especially in yellow or rose gold. Lower grades show a warmer tint. White gold makes any tint easier to notice, so if you choose white gold, stay at H or above.
What to buyClassic Round Diamond Ring, from AED 6,000Clarity: FL to I3
Almost every diamond has tiny internal marks called inclusions. The grade depends on how visible they are under 10x magnification. VS (very slightly included) means the inclusions are minor and normally invisible to the naked eye, which is why VS is a common choice for fine jewellery: it looks clean without the price of VVS or Flawless. Every diamond in our jewellery is VS clarity.
Carat: weight, not size
One carat is 0.2 grams. Price rises faster than weight, because larger diamonds are rarer, so a 2 ct diamond usually costs much more than two 1 ct diamonds. Carat also says nothing about how big a diamond looks: cut depth and shape change the face-up size. In jewellery with several small diamonds, the report or product page gives a total carat weight, such as the 0.30 ct of VS diamonds in the Love Necklace (AED 3,800, November 2026).
How to balance the 4Cs on a budget
Start with cut and do not go below Very Good. Then pick the lowest colour and clarity grades that still look clean to you: G-H and VS are a common sweet spot. Spend what remains on carat. Choosing lab-grown instead of natural changes the price, not the grading: the same 4Cs scales apply. Our Classic Round Diamond Ring comes with a natural or lab-grown centre diamond and an IGI or GIA report, in 18K white, yellow or rose gold, and our team can talk you through the options on WhatsApp.
How long does delivery take?
Most pieces are made to order in about 15 working days. Delivery then takes about 3 working days within the UAE, where it is free, and about 5 working days to Saudi Arabia and the rest of the GCC. The Heart Diamonds Necklace (AED 4,200, November 2026) ships without a production wait.
Every guide in this topic
Frequently asked questions
What are the 4Cs of diamonds?
Cut, colour, clarity and carat: the four grades GIA uses to describe a diamond's quality. They appear on reports from laboratories such as GIA and IGI.
Which of the 4Cs is most important?
Cut, because it decides how much the diamond sparkles. A well-cut diamond with G-H colour and VS clarity usually looks better than a poorly cut diamond with higher grades.
Is VS clarity good?
Yes. VS diamonds have minor inclusions that are normally invisible to the naked eye, so they look clean once set. All Lana Al Kamal diamonds are VS clarity.
How much does 1 carat weigh?
One carat is 0.2 grams. Carat measures weight, not size, so cut and shape change how big a diamond looks.
Do lab-grown diamonds use the same 4Cs?
Yes. Lab-grown diamonds are graded on the same cut, colour, clarity and carat scales, and come with reports from laboratories such as IGI and GIA.
Not sure which one?
Send our team a photo or a question on WhatsApp and we will help you choose.
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About Lana Al Kamal
Lana Al Kamal is an architect and jewellery designer who founded her Dubai-based fine jewellery brand in 2018. She studied at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and is a member of the Dubai Chamber jewellery designers group. Every piece is made in 18K gold.
