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Understanding the 4Cs
Of the four Cs, cut has the greatest influence on a diamond's beauty. It refers not to a diamond's shape, but to how precisely its facets have been proportioned, angled, and polished to interact with light.
A well-cut diamond returns light through its top in a brilliant display of sparkle. A poorly cut stone — even one with excellent colour and clarity — will appear dull, because light leaks through the bottom rather than reflecting back to the eye.
At Pehwar, we prioritise cut quality above all, because it is what gives a diamond its life.
The finest white diamonds are graded by how little colour they contain. Grading runs from D (completely colourless) through to Z (a noticeable warm tint), with most fine jewellery falling in the colourless to near-colourless range.
The differences between neighbouring grades are subtle and often invisible to the untrained eye, especially once a diamond is set. Choosing a near-colourless stone can offer exceptional beauty while allowing more of your budget to go toward cut and size.
Fancy-coloured diamonds — pinks, blues, yellows and greens — are graded on a separate scale, where the intensity of colour is prized rather than its absence.
Almost every diamond contains tiny natural characteristics called inclusions (internal) and blemishes (external). Clarity measures how few and how visible these are, on a scale from Flawless down to Included.
Many inclusions are microscopic and invisible without magnification. An "eye-clean" diamond — one with no inclusions visible to the naked eye — often represents the most considered balance of beauty and value.
Carat refers to a diamond's weight, not its size — one carat equals 200 milligrams. Because two diamonds of equal carat weight can appear different in size depending on their cut and proportions, carat is best considered alongside the other three Cs rather than on its own.
A beautifully cut diamond of modest carat weight can appear larger and more brilliant than a larger stone that has been cut poorly.
No single C tells the whole story. The art lies in balancing all four to suit your taste and your budget. Our advisors are always glad to guide you — whether you prioritise the sparkle of an exceptional cut, the size of a larger carat, or the purity of a higher colour and clarity.
To discuss the right diamond for your piece, speak with our team.