The 4 Cs of Diamonds: What to Check When Buying Jewelry

The four Cs—carat weight, cut, clarity and color—describe different characteristics of a diamond. They help you compare specifications, but they do not replace the details of the jewelry you are actually ordering. For grillz, also check the metal, tooth coverage, stone layout and selected product options.

Carat: the diamond's weight

Carat measures diamond weight. It is different from the karat used to describe gold purity. Ask whether a listed weight refers to one stone or the combined weight of the stones in a piece. A total across many small stones does not describe the size of each individual diamond.

Cut: how the diamond interacts with light

Cut concerns a diamond's proportions, facets and appearance in light. Shape describes its outline, such as round or pear. These terms answer different questions. GIA's overall cut-grading system discussed in its guide applies to standard round brilliant diamonds in the D-to-Z color range; do not assume the same cut grade is available for every shape.

Read GIA's explanation of diamond cut and shape.

Clarity: inclusions and blemishes

Clarity describes internal inclusions and external blemishes. A product description should identify the specified clarity or clarity range when provided. A word such as “sparkling” is a style description, not a substitute for a grade. Check which option you selected instead of assuming every design uses the same stones.

Color: understand which scale applies

The D-to-Z scale describes diamonds from colorless through increasing light yellow or brown color. Fancy-color diamonds are assessed differently. Photos and lighting can change how a stone appears, so use the written specification when comparing options.

See GIA's D-to-Z color guide and its overview of the four Cs.

Questions to ask before buying diamond grillz

• What diamond type, clarity and color are specified for my selected option?
• Is any stated carat weight a total for the piece, and is it an estimate or a stated weight for the selected design?
• What metal, gold karat, tooth coverage and stone layout am I ordering?
• Is an independent grading report supplied for this item or its stones? If so, which laboratory issued it and what does it cover?
• What is the complete cost after required options and the mold kit?

Do not assume a general educational guide means every product has an individual laboratory report. If a listing does not answer a question, contact Cali Grillz with the design and options you are considering.

Continue with our gold versus diamond grillz comparison or custom grillz buying guide before choosing your piece.