Our team has been answering these questions for 46 years. Here's what every customer should know before their first appointment.
Every diamond is graded on four qualities — cut, color, clarity, and carat. Knowing what each means helps you make a smarter decision and get the most out of your budget.
The most important C
Cut
Cut refers to how well a diamond's facets interact with light. It's not about shape — it's about proportion, symmetry, and polish. A well-cut diamond will appear more brilliant than a larger, poorly cut stone.
Our advice: Never compromise on cut. It's the single biggest factor in how much your diamond sparkles. A better cut in a smaller stone always beats a larger stone with a poor cut.
Did you know
Cut is the hardest of the 4 Cs to grade — it requires precise measurement of dozens of angles and proportions.
Common misconception
Cut has nothing to do with a diamond's shape. Round, oval, and cushion are shapes — cut is about quality of craftsmanship.
GIA Grading Scale — Excellent is highest
Less color = more value
Color
Diamond color grades how colorless a stone is. The less color, the rarer and more valuable. Most diamonds range from colorless to a faint yellow — the difference is subtle but meaningful in price.
Our advice: For white gold or platinum settings, aim for G–H. For rose or yellow gold, you can go lower — the metal warms the stone anyway. You'll save money and nobody will notice the difference.
Did you know
A perfectly colorless diamond (D) is extremely rare. Most people can't see the difference between D and G with the naked eye.
Common misconception
Fancy colored diamonds — pink, blue, yellow — are graded on a completely separate scale. Their color adds value, not subtracts it.
Grading scale (D–Z) — D is best
Flaws you'll never see
Clarity
Clarity measures the number and size of inclusions (internal flaws) and blemishes (surface flaws). Most are invisible to the naked eye — the goal is finding a stone that looks flawless, not one that grades flawless.
Our advice: VS2 or SI1 is the sweet spot for most budgets. The inclusions are invisible without magnification and you save significantly over FL or VVS stones.
Did you know
A truly Flawless diamond must appear perfect at 10x magnification. Less than 1% of diamonds ever receive this grade.
Common misconception
No two diamonds are the same — even two SI1 diamonds can look very different depending on where and what type the inclusions are.
Grading scale — FL is best
Size isn't everything
Carat
Carat is a unit of weight — one carat equals 0.2 grams. Heavier diamonds are rarer and more expensive, but carat weight alone doesn't determine beauty. A smaller, better-cut diamond often outshines a larger, poorly cut one.
Our advice: Consider going just below a "magic number" like 1.0ct or 1.5ct. A 0.95ct stone looks nearly identical but can be 10–20% less expensive. One of the smartest moves in diamond shopping.
Did you know
Diamond prices jump significantly at round carat weights. Buying just below 0.5ct, 1ct, 1.5ct, or 2ct thresholds is one of the best ways to save money.
Common misconception
Two diamonds of the same carat weight can look very different in size. Elongated shapes like oval or pear appear larger than round stones of the same weight.
There's no wrong answer. Both are real diamonds. The difference comes down to origin, budget, and what matters most to you.
Natural Diamond
Formed in the earthWhat you get
Worth knowing
Lab Grown Diamond
Grown in a labWhat you get
Worth knowing
Our take
"After 46 years in the business, the question I get most is 'which should I choose?' My honest answer: it depends on what the piece means to you. If you're building an heirloom to pass down, natural. If you want the most beautiful stone your budget allows, lab grown is hard to argue with. We'll talk through it together at your appointment — there's no pressure either way." — Milton Krasner, G.G.
Our team will answer everything at your appointment — no pressure, no jargon, just honest advice.
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