The 4 C's | Marlen Jewelers

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The 4 C's of Diamonds

CARAT

Diamond carat weight is the measurement of how much a diamond weighs. A metric "carat" is deﬁned as 200mg. Each carat can be subdivided into 100 points. This allows very precise measurements.

CUT

We often think of a diamond’s cut as its shape, but a diamond’s cut grade is really about how well a diamond’s facets interact with light.

COLOR

Color evaluation is based on the absense of color. The color scale for diamonds begins with D, representing a colorless diamond, and continues to Z.

CLARITY

The process of creating a diamond in nature results in internal and external characteristics called “inclusions” and “blemishes”. The clarity scale begins with flawless and ends with included.

How the 4 C's Work Together

Each of the 4 C’s contribute to the overall beauty of a diamond and make each stone unique. A diamond, however, should be viewed as an organic whole. Because the eye has difficulty differentiating one diamond characteristic by itself, such as clarity or color, it is important to consider how the 4 C’s impact each other.

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