Skip to main content
COMPLIMENTARY FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $300
  • ALEXANDRIA LOCATION 703-836-1401
  • MIDDLEBURG LOCATION 540-687-3100
  • Contact Us
    • Make an Appointment
    • Old Town Alexandria
    • Middleburg
    • The Inn at Little Washington
    • Salamander Resort & Spa
  • My Account
  • Search
  • Wish List
Mystique Jewelers
  • Love & Engagement
    • Mystique Engagement Rings
      • Vintage Inspired
      • 3-Stone Settings
      • Classic Solitaire
      • Halo Settings
      • Settings With Sidestones
      • Men's Engagement Rings
      • Gemstone Engagement Rings
      • Pave Rings
      • Channel Set
    • Shop Diamonds
      • Lab Grown Diamond Education
      • Natural Diamond Education
    • Wedding Bands with Stones
    • Wedding Bands without Stones
    • Create a Wish List
    • Contact an Expert
  • Jewelry
    • New Arrivals
    • Rings
      • Diamond Rings
      • Gold Rings
      • Gemstone Rings
    • Earrings
      • Diamond Earrings
      • Diamond Stud Earrings
      • Gold Earrings
      • Gemstone Earrings
    • Earring Charms
    • Bracelets
      • Gold Bracelets
      • Fashion Bracelets
      • Diamond Bracelets
      • Gemstone Bracelets
    • Necklaces
      • Diamond Neckalces
      • Gold Neckalces
      • Gemstone Necklaces
    • Pendants & Enhancers
    • Pearls
    • Charms
    • Estate Jewelry
    • Men's Jewelry
      • Watches
    • Equestrian Jewelry
    • Mystique Fine Jewelry
    • Gifts Under $500
    • Sale Items
  • Custom Design
    • Start a Project
    • Custom Work
  • Our Brands
    • Ammara Stone
    • DOVES
    • Evocateur
    • Gumuchian
    • Jude Frances
    • KC Designs
    • Lawson Dahl
    • LexiMazz
    • Lizabeth
    • Mystique Equestrian Collection
    • Peter Storm
    • Roman + Jules
    • Temple St. Clair
    • The Mazza Company
    • The Mystique Collection
    • Three Stories
    • Uneek
    • William Henry Studio
    • Benchmark
    • Forge
    • Tantalum
  • Gift Cards
    • $100
    • $500
    • $1000
    • $5000
  • Services
    • Our Services
    • Jewelry Repairs & Resizing
    • Jewelry Appraisal
    • Jewelry Cleaning, Polishing, & Maintenance
    • Stone Matching & Setting Stones
    • Watch Repair
    • Jewelry Engraving
    • Financing
    • Gold Buying & Consignment
  • The Mystique Story
    • About
    • What's Happening
    • Conflict Free Diamonds
    • Education
  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Diamonds

Learn About Diamonds

The Four Cs of Diamonds

Our Four C's of Diamonds guide can help you decide on the most important factors when shopping for a diamond.

  • Carat
  • Cut
  • Color
  • Clarity

The Carat Weight

The word carat derives from the word carob, a Mediterranean seed, which has an extremely consistent weight for measuring. The greater the carat weight, the rarer, and more valuable the diamond becomes. Five metric carats weighs exactly 1 gram.

Some people want the largest diamond possible. If size is a priority, we at Mystique Jewelers can help you classify the proper cut, color and clarity to fit your budget economically, and fit your jewelry beautifully. Many of our engagement rings can fit diamonds up to 5.00 carats, but each ring has different size constraints based on its size and the type of setting. Prong settings can be manipulated to fit virtually any size diamond, but tension-set diamonds and bezel set diamonds have more limitations on size.

The Cut

The true definition of cut is the quality of the proportions and symmetry of the diamond. Your diamond's proportions make a vast difference on how brightly your diamond shines. An 'ideal cut' diamond is one that allows the maximum amount of light to return through the top of the diamond, which takes into consideration the depth, table size, crown height and angle, girdle thickness and more. Our diamond professionals will be happy to assist you in selecting the best diamond cut.

After a rough diamond is mined, it is evaluated to determine its best possible cut, in order to maintain the maximum clarity, color, and carat weight. The term 'cut' is often confused with diamond 'shape', such as round brilliant or princess cut.

Excellent

This is the rarest cut grade and reflects the most light.

Very Good

This cut grade reflects nearly as much light as an Excellent cut grade, but for a lower price.

Good

This cut grade reflects most of the light that enters the diamond, but not as much as a Very Good cut grade.

Fair

This cut grade may appear dull or even glassy, and is very inexpensive.

Poor

This cut grade is not carried by Mystique Jewelers and is typically not recommended.

Excellent
Very Good
Good
Fair
Poor
Not carried by Mystique Jewelers

MORE DIAMONDS

The Color

Color is one of the more noticeable attributes of a diamond and has a heavy impact on the price of the stone. Diamonds range from colorless to yellow or light brown, and are sometimes found in a spectrum of fancy colors, including yellow, blue, and even red diamonds. The less color, the rarer the diamond. After 'Z' on the color scale, diamonds become fancy yellow, which cost more because of their rarity.

Z-N
M-K
Noticeable Color
J
I
H
G
Near Colorless
F
E
D
Colorless
Z-N
M-K
J
I
H
G
F
E
D
Noticeable Color
Near Colorless
Colorless

The Clarity

Diamonds are composed of mostly carbon. During the heating process, other elements become trapped inside, giving each diamond its own unique fingerprint. These inclusions help identify the clarity of your diamond. All diamonds are viewed through a 10x magnification lens by diamond graders.

Flawless

No inclusions or blemishes are visible to a skilled grader.

Internally Flawless

No inclusions and only blemishes are visible to a skilled grader.

Very Very Slightly Included

Inclusions are difficult for a skilled grader to see.

Very Slightly Included

Inclusions are clearly visible but can be characterized as minor.

Slightly Included

Inclusions are noticeable to a skilled grader.

Included

Inclusions are obvious and may affect transparency and brilliance.

FFlawless
IFInternally Flawless
VVS1
VVS2
Very Very Slightly Included
VS1
VS2
Very Slightly Included
SI1
SI2
Slightly Included
I1
I2
I3
Included

MORE DIAMONDS

Shop Loose Diamonds

Mystique Jewelers Locations
    Old Town Alexandria
    123 S. Fairfax Street
    Alexandria, VA 22314
    (703) 836-1401
    Store Information
    Middleburg
    112 W Washington Street
    Middleburg, VA 20117
    (540) 687-3100
    Store Information
    Salamander Resort & Spa
    500 N Pendleton St
    Middleburg, VA 20118
    Store Information
    Jewelry
    • Wedding Bands without Stones
    • Mystique Engagement Rings
    • Wedding Bands with Stones
    • Rings
    • Earrings
    • Earring Charms
    • Bracelets
    • Necklaces
    • Pendants & Enhancers
    • Pearls
    • Charms
    • Estate Jewelry
    • Men's Jewelry
    • Equestrian Jewelry
    • Gifts Under $500
    • Sale Items
    • Mystique Fine Jewelry
    • Diamond Fashion Rings
    • Engagement Rings
    • Fashion Rings
    • Pendants
    • Pearl Earrings
    • Earring Jackets
    • Gift Cards
    Collections
    • Ammara Stone
    • DOVES
    • Evocateur
    • Gumuchian
    • Jude Frances
    • KC Designs
    • Lawson Dahl
    • LexiMazz
    • Lizabeth
    • Mystique Equestrian Collection
    • Peter Storm
    • Roman + Jules
    • Temple St. Clair
    • The Mazza Company
    • The Mystique Collection
    • Three Stories
    • Uneek
    • Vincent Peach
    • William Henry Studio
    • Benchmark
    • Forge
    • Overnight
    • Tantalum
    Our Store
    • Our Story
    • Custom Jewelry Design
    • Services
    Mailing List

    Sign up for special offers and discounts

    © 2022 Mystique Jewelers. All Rights Reserved. Website designed, maintained, and hosted by Punchmark. Accessibility Statement.