Diamond Buying Guide

01 DIAMOND CUT

Diamond Cut

Cut is often considered the most important of the 4 Cs because it has the strongest impact on brilliance and sparkle. A well-cut diamond returns more light to the eye, making it look lively, bright, and visually impressive.

Click through each cut grade below to compare how light performance and overall beauty can change.

Fair Good Very Good Ideal Super Ideal

Fair

A Fair cut diamond may return some light, but light leakage is typically more noticeable and overall sparkle is more limited.

Good

A Good cut diamond offers decent brightness and visual appeal, though it may not deliver the same level of fire and scintillation as higher cut grades.

Very Good

A Very Good cut diamond reflects most of the light entering the stone and offers strong brilliance with attractive overall performance.

Ideal

An Ideal cut diamond is proportioned to deliver exceptional light return, brightness, and balanced sparkle.

Super Ideal

Super Ideal is commonly used in the trade to describe diamonds cut to very tight proportions and optical precision for maximum light performance.

02 DIAMOND COLOR

Diamond Color

Diamond color refers to how colorless a stone appears. In white diamonds, less body color usually means a higher grade. Compare the color ranges below to see how appearance changes from icy white to warmer tones.

Click through each color grade below to compare images and descriptions.

D E F G H I J

D Color

D color diamonds are colorless and sit at the top of the traditional white diamond color scale, offering a crisp icy appearance.

E Color

E color diamonds are also considered colorless, with extremely subtle traces of color that are difficult to detect even by trained eyes.

F Color

F color diamonds remain in the colorless range and can look bright and icy while sometimes offering slightly better value than higher grades.

G Color

G color diamonds begin the near-colorless range and are a popular choice for balancing a bright look with strong value.

H Color

H color diamonds are near-colorless and often appear white in many settings, especially when paired with warmer metal tones.

I Color

I color diamonds may show a slight warmth compared with higher grades, but can still look beautiful depending on shape, size, and setting.

J Color

J color diamonds show more noticeable warmth than near-colorless grades and are often chosen when prioritizing size or value.

03 DIAMOND CLARITY

Diamond Clarity

Clarity measures internal inclusions and external blemishes. Most diamonds have natural characteristics, but many are microscopic and do not affect beauty to the naked eye.

Click through each clarity grade below to compare appearance and understand how clarity impacts rarity and value.

FL IF VVS1 VVS2 VS1 VS2 SI1 SI2 I1

Flawless (FL)

Flawless diamonds have no inclusions or blemishes visible under 10x magnification and are exceptionally rare.

Internally Flawless (IF)

Internally Flawless diamonds have no internal inclusions visible at 10x magnification, though minor surface blemishes may be present.

Very Very Slightly Included 1 (VVS1)

VVS1 diamonds contain minute inclusions that are extremely difficult for a grader to see under 10x magnification.

Very Very Slightly Included 2 (VVS2)

VVS2 diamonds also contain extremely small inclusions, still very difficult to detect under magnification.

Very Slightly Included 1 (VS1)

VS1 diamonds have minor inclusions visible under magnification that are usually difficult to see without magnification.

Very Slightly Included 2 (VS2)

VS2 diamonds have minor inclusions that may be easier to find under magnification but often still appear eye-clean.

Slightly Included 1 (SI1)

SI1 diamonds have noticeable inclusions under magnification and may still appear eye-clean depending on the stone.

Slightly Included 2 (SI2)

SI2 diamonds have more noticeable inclusions that are easier to see under magnification and may sometimes be visible to the naked eye.

Included 1 (I1)

I1 diamonds have inclusions that are typically obvious under magnification and may affect transparency or visible appearance.

04 LAB-GROWN VS NATURAL

06 FINDING YOUR PERFECT COMBINATION

Tips for Choosing the Right Diamond

• Prioritize cut first if sparkle and brilliance matter most.
• Balance color grade with your setting metal and preferred look.
• Choose clarity for real-life appearance, not just lab rarity.
• Compare carat with spread and cut quality, not weight alone.
• Ask for guidance if you are choosing between two strong options.