While this guide and the following charts are here to help you learn about the 4 Cs, we are also available to help you directly. Our staff GIA Graduate Gemologists are here to help you at every stage—whether you are looking to buy today or in six months.
Although terms like "princess cut" and "cushion cut" describe a diamond's shape, Cut actually refers to the angling of a diamond's facets. A well-cut diamond ideally reflects light to bring maximum brilliance and fire to the stone.
Because sparkle is the most important part of a diamond's appearance, this is arguably the most vital of the 4 Cs. A high-quality diamond that is poorly cut will appear dull, while a diamond with slightly lower color or clarity can look spectacular if cut to ideal proportions.
Sparkle is everything. It is always better to have a slightly smaller "Ideal" or "Excellent" cut diamond than a larger "Good" or "Fair" cut diamond that appears dull.
Diamonds are graded from D (Colorless) to Z (Light Yellow). Because of our high quality standards, deBebians only carries diamonds graded D through J.
Fluorescence: This natural phenomenon can benefit diamonds in the I-J range by masking yellow tints, making the stone appear whiter than its grade suggests.
If you are setting your diamond in Yellow Gold or Rose Gold, you can safely choose an "I" or "J" color stone. The metal's natural color hides the diamond's slight warmth.
Clarity measures the internal inclusions and external blemishes. We only sell loose diamonds that meet GIA/AGS standards, from IF to SI2.
| FL / IF | Flawless / Internally Flawless. No inclusions visible under 10x magnification. Extremely rare and valuable. |
| VVS1 / VVS2 | Very, Very Slightly Included. Inclusions are very difficult for even a trained grader to see under 10x. |
| VS1 / VS2 | Very Slightly Included. Inclusions are typically "Eye-Clean" (invisible to the naked eye). Excellent balance of purity and price. |
| SI1 / SI2 | Slightly Included. Inclusions visible under 10x. Many SI1s are eye-clean, offering the best price-to-size ratio. |
Seek "Eye-Clean" SI1 or VS2 diamonds. They look identical to Flawless diamonds to the naked eye under normal viewing conditions but cost significantly less.
Carat is the measure of a diamond's weight, not necessarily its physical dimensions. 1 carat is divided into 100 points (e.g., a 0.50ct diamond is 50 points).
A diamond's cut determines how much of that weight is "face-up" size versus hidden in the depth. Because large diamonds are rarer, the price per carat increases significantly at full carat weights (e.g., jumping from 0.99ct to 1.00ct).
To save money, look for "under-size" diamonds. Buying a 0.90ct or 0.95ct diamond instead of a full 1.00ct can save you a large percentage while appearing almost identical in size.