Color — graded D to Z.

Diamond color is measured on a scale from D (completely colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown). The closer to D, the rarer the stone — and typically, the higher the value.

Colorless diamonds (D–F) are the most sought-after, with traces of color only detectable by an expert gemologist. Near-colorless stones (G–J) offer beautiful quality at better value, with color that's nearly imperceptible to the eye. Beyond that, faint to light grades (K–Z) carry visible warmth — softer, more characterful.

And then there are fancy colors — blues, pinks, yellows, greens, even reds — graded on their own scale and prized for their rarity.

Clarity — the fingerprint of the stone.

Every diamond carries the marks of how it was made: inclusions inside the stone and blemishes on the surface. Clarity measures how visible those are under 10x magnification, using a scale developed by the GIA.

It ranges from Flawless (no inclusions or blemishes at all) to Included (inclusions visible to the naked eye), with several grades in between — Internally Flawless, VVS, VS, and SI. Location matters, too: inclusions near the edge of a stone are far less noticeable than those in the center.

Higher clarity correlates with higher value, but a diamond doesn't have to be flawless to look flawless on your hand.

Carat — the weight, not the size.

Carat measures a diamond's weight — not its size, contrary to popular belief. Two stones of the same carat can look noticeably different depending on shape, cut, and setting.

Elongated cuts like ovals and marquise tend to wear larger than their weight suggests. Poorly cut stones can look smaller. Generally, the higher the carat, the higher the price — but the right diamond is the one that sits beautifully on your hand, not the one with the biggest number on paper.