The 4Cs of Diamond Quality: Cut, Color, Clarity & Carat

Cut — the most important C

Cut refers to how well a diamond's facets interact with light — not its shape. It is the single biggest driver of a diamond's sparkle, and the C that most affects how beautiful a stone looks in person. A poorly cut diamond will appear dull even with a high color and clarity grade.

Cut is graded from Excellent (or Ideal) down to Poor. For maximum brilliance, prioritise Excellent or Very Good cut grades before spending on the other Cs.

Color — how colorless the diamond is

Diamond color grades the absence of color, on a scale from D (completely colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown). The less color, the rarer and more valuable the diamond.

• D–F: Colorless — the highest grades, with a noticeable price premium.
• G–J: Near-colorless — excellent value; color is hard to detect once set.
• K–Z: Faint to light color — can be beautiful in warmer metals like yellow gold.

Clarity — internal and surface characteristics

Clarity measures tiny natural imperfections called inclusions (internal) and blemishes (surface). Most are invisible to the naked eye. The scale runs from Flawless (FL) to Included (I).

• FL–IF: Flawless / Internally Flawless — extremely rare.
• VVS1–VVS2: Very, very slightly included — inclusions difficult to see even under magnification.
• VS1–VS2: Very slightly included — an excellent balance of quality and value.
• SI1–SI2: Slightly included — often eye-clean and the best value for money.

Carat — the diamond's weight

Carat measures weight, not size: one carat equals 0.2 grams. Because larger diamonds are rarer, price rises sharply — and jumps at round numbers like 1.00ct and 2.00ct. Buying just below a landmark weight (e.g. 0.90ct) can offer a nearly identical look for meaningfully less.

How to balance the 4Cs

There is no single 'best' combination — the right balance depends on your priorities and budget. A common approach that maximises visible beauty: choose an Excellent cut, a near-colorless grade (G–J), an eye-clean clarity (VS2–SI1), and then the largest carat weight your budget allows.

Every Tirupati diamond comes with an independent grading report so you can verify all four Cs before you buy.