How to choose an engagement ring: the 4Cs
Cut, colour, clarity and carat, explained simply, and where it pays to spend.
Every diamond is graded on four qualities, known as the 4Cs. Understanding them helps you compare stones fairly and spend where it shows.
Cut
Cut decides how a diamond returns light. It matters more to sparkle than anything else, so choose Excellent or Very Good and save elsewhere if you need to.
Colour
Graded from D (colourless) down the alphabet. Set in white gold, D to G look icy white; in yellow or rose gold, H or I look just as bright and cost less.
Clarity
How many tiny inclusions a stone has. From VS2 upwards they cannot be seen without magnification, so a flawless grade is rarely worth the premium.
Carat
Carat is weight, not size. Prices jump at round numbers, so a 0.90 ct diamond can look like a 1.00 ct for noticeably less.
Ask to see the GIA report for every stone you consider, and compare two or three side by side.