When it comes to choosing a diamond, the 4 Cs—Cut, Clarity, Colour, and Carat—are the golden standard for determining quality. But beyond the traditional definitions, what do these terms really mean in today’s world of modern jewellery?

 

CUT: The Sparkle Maker

The cut of a diamond doesn’t refer to its shape (like round or oval) but how well it’s been faceted to interact with light. A well-cut diamond captures light, bouncing it internally and reflecting it outward for that brilliant sparkle. From the precise angles to the symmetry of its facets, the cut is arguably the most important factor in a diamond’s overall beauty. Modern technology has advanced the precision of cuts, with terms like "ideal" and "excellent" cuts indicating the highest levels of craftsmanship.

The grade goes from;

Fair, Good, Very Good, Excellent to Ideal. 

 

CLARITY: Embracing Natural Beauty

Clarity measures the presence of internal inclusions or external blemishes. While flawless diamonds (FL) are incredibly rare and highly valued, many inclusions are so microscopic they’re invisible to the naked eye. Today, many buyers are embracing the beauty of slight imperfections, viewing inclusions as nature’s fingerprint on their stone. Choosing a diamond with VS1 or SI1 clarity often strikes a balance between beauty and value.

The Clarity scales goes from;

I (included), SI (slightly included), VS (very slightly included), VVSI (very, very slightly included), IF (internally flawless), to F (flawless). 

 

COLOUR: The Subtle Tint of Perfection

Diamonds are graded on a scale from D (colourless) to Z (light yellow or brown). Colourless diamonds are the most sought after, but near-colourless grades (G-H) offer a virtually identical appearance to the untrained eye—at a more accessible price point. In modern times, there’s also growing appreciation for diamonds with distinct hues, like champagne, yellow, or even rare pink stones, which add a unique character to your ring. 

 

CARAT: Beyond Size

Carat weight often gets the most attention, but bigger doesn’t always mean better. Carat refers to a unit of measure, 1 gram = 5 carats. 

A diamond’s cut, proportions, and setting can enhance its visual impact, making a well-cut smaller diamond appear larger than a poorly cut heavier one. Modern buyers are increasingly focused on overall balance, choosing carat weights that complement their personal style and ring design.

 

 

The Laher Approach

While the 4 Cs provide a solid foundation for understanding diamonds, Laher's approach is embedded in unlocking discounted value.

We do this by finding arbitrage within industry standards that allow our customers to enjoy beautiful diamonds, whilst not overspending on characteristics that we believe hold less relative value. 

 

With this base education set, we'd recommend aiming for;

VS1-2

Even the most experience jewellers, will struggle to identify a clear difference between VS and VVS. We believe that going above this clarity quality on the scale, doesn't return enough value for the increased price. 

Colour E-F

*This only applies to natural white diamonds

As colour D is the highest colour grade, it comes with a premium price tag. We believe that opting for E-F, is the best value, whilst retaining a colourless-near colourless diamond. 

Another important note on colour is that it is the only characteristic that is purely an industry appeal grade. By which we mean, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with a 'warmer'/ non-white diamond. They are just seen as less desirable by market standards. You can still enjoy all the high quality characteristics of a diamond with a warmer hue and achieve a significantly lower price. This is an important area in which we operate. 

 

Cut Grade, Very Good to Excellent. 

This is the only characteristic that we don't recommend comprising on. Cut grade is the singular highest contributor to brilliance and sparkle. Aim for Very Good, as the lowest. 

The one situation in which this is not as vital, is for step cut styles, such as emerald and asscher cut. As step cuts are looking to optimise for internal viewing of the stone, clarity is a more important characteristic. So look to have a higher clarity VS1+ and you can afford to come down on cut grade. 

 

Carat Weight; finding a good balance between weight and dimensional spread. 

Carat weight is a unit of weight measurement. Therefore, it doesn't represent how large the stone looks. Therefore, we also look to find a substantially large dimensional spread for the carat weight. 

For example, a 1.30ct Oval can have wide dimensions, sitting at 9.42x6.09mm. Then equally, an oval could have the carat weight of 1.70ct with similar dimensions. This is due to the cutting ratios.