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Berry's Diamond Guide
Discover how cut, colour, clarity and carat combine to shape a diamond's character, brilliance and value.
Choosing with Confidence
Every diamond is unique. Understanding its cut, colour, clarity and carat weight will help you recognise the qualities that matter most to you, and choose a piece you will treasure for a lifetime.
The Essentials
The quality of a diamond's proportions, symmetry and polish.
Explore Cut 02The absence of colour, graded from D through to Z.
Explore Colour 03The presence of natural inclusions and surface characteristics.
Explore Clarity 04A precise measure of a diamond's weight, not its dimensions.
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The source of a diamond's brilliance
Cut describes how successfully a diamond's proportions, symmetry and polish return light. It influences brightness, fire and scintillation, and should not be confused with shape.
A beautifully cut diamond can appear more lively and luminous, even when compared with a stone of similar carat weight.
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A subtle spectrum of rarity
For white diamonds, colour is graded on the GIA scale from D to Z. D represents a colourless diamond, while progressively warmer tones become more apparent further down the scale.
Colour can look different according to a diamond's size, shape and setting metal. Compare stones side by side in natural and showroom light.
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Nature's individual signature
Most diamonds contain tiny internal inclusions or surface characteristics. Clarity grades describe their number, size, position and visibility under 10 times magnification.
An eye-clean diamond can offer a beautiful balance of appearance and value, even when microscopic characteristics are recorded on its grading report.
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Weight is only part of the story
One carat equals 0.2 grams and is divided into 100 points. Two diamonds of the same carat weight can look different in size and carry very different values according to their cut, colour and clarity.
Consider how the diamond is proportioned and how it sits within the design, rather than choosing by carat weight alone.
Explore in More Detail
The Gemological Institute of America created the 4Cs as a universal method for evaluating diamond quality. Open its interactive guide in a new window for a closer look at each characteristic.
Diamond Questions
There is no single right answer. Cut has the greatest influence on sparkle, while colour, clarity and carat weight shape appearance, rarity and value. The best balance depends on what you notice and value most.
No. Shape describes the outline, such as round, oval or emerald cut. Cut quality describes how well the facets, proportions, symmetry and polish work together to reflect light.
Not necessarily. Carat measures weight. Visible size also depends on the stone's shape, proportions and how much of its weight is carried beneath the setting.
Personal Guidance
Our diamond specialists will guide you through every detail, helping you compare stones in person and choose with complete confidence.
