A Guide to the Four C's of Diamonds

THE FOUR C'S OF DIAMONDS: A GUIDE TO FINDING YOUR DREAM DIAMOND

Choosing a diamond is about more than brilliance, it’s about finding a stone that reflects your love, your story, and your style. The Four C’s of Diamonds - cut, color, clarity, and carat - form the universal grading system that determines a diamond’s quality and value. At Lindsey Scoggins Studio in NYC, we consider the Four C’s the foundation of our diamond selection process, but not the whole story. Our curation goes further, ensuring every diamond chosen for an engagement ring or custom jewelry design is worthy of becoming an heirloom. Learn more about the Four C's below.

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CUT: THE ONLY C MADE WITH HUMAN HANDS

The cut of a diamond determines how it interacts with light, the way it shines, sparkles, and radiates brilliance. At Lindsey Scoggins Studio, we select only Excellent Cut diamonds, as graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). A beautifully cut diamond dazzles with perfect proportions, symmetry, and polish. Whether you envision a classic round cut or an elegant emerald cut, cut is the first step to choosing a diamond that matches your personal style. Learn more about diamond cut.

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COLOR: LESS IS MORE

Diamond color is graded on a scale from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown). The closer to colorless, the rarer the diamond. At our engagement ring studio in Manhattan, we curate diamonds within the most desirable color ranges, ensuring every stone we offer reflects crisp, bright beauty. The color changes can be very minor, so you can often choose a lower color grade if having a completely colorless diamond is not your top priority. We think of it as a puzzle of piecing together your ideal characteristics based on what is important to you to find your perfect diamond. Learn more about diamond color.

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CLARITY: SEEING CLEARLY

Every diamond tells a story of its natural formation, sometimes with inclusions or tiny imperfections. Clarity measures these details, and the fewer the inclusions, the rarer and more valuable the diamond. Our selection process ensures that your diamond will look flawless to the naked eye, allowing its brilliance, not imperfections, to take center stage. When you commission a custom engagement ring in New York with us, you can be assured your diamond is chosen for purity and presence. Learn more about diamond clarity.

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CARAT: WORTH THE WEIGHT

Carat refers to a diamond’s weight and often its perceived size, but beauty is never about size alone. A well-cut one-carat diamond may outshine a poorly cut two-carat stone. At Lindsey Scoggins Studio, we guide you through the balance of carat, cut, color, and clarity so you can choose a diamond that feels personally significant while still meeting our uncompromising quality standards. Learn more about diamond carat weight.

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OUR FIFTH C: CURATION

While the Four C’s are essential, we take our diamond curation a step further. We eliminate all diamonds with fluorescence, ensuring that even the highest clarity stones won’t appear hazy. Each diamond is responsibly sourced and selected to meet our elevated standards. For clients seeking engagement rings in NYC or custom-designed diamond jewelry, this means that every diamond we offer is not only beautiful, it’s exceptional. In a city defined by artistry and timeless beauty, your diamond should be no exception. At Lindsey Scoggins Studio, we combine the precision of the Four C’s with our elevated standards and design expertise to create rings and jewelry that are as unique as the moments they celebrate. Discover diamonds in New York with Lindsey Scoggins Studio.