Understanding Diamond Quality - The 4C's Explained

When it comes to choosing the perfect diamond, four key factors determine its beauty and value: colour, clarity, cut, and carat.
At LRK Jewellers Brisbane, we believe knowledge empowers you to make confident, meaningful choices - whether you’re creating a custom engagement ring or selecting your next fine jewellery piece.

Colour

The colour of a diamond is graded by what you don’t see - the absence of colour.
The most sought-after diamonds are completely colourless, allowing light to pass through freely and create that unmistakable brilliance.

However, diamonds can naturally form in an incredible range of hues - from soft yellows and blush pinks to striking blues, greens, browns, oranges, and reds.

• Yellow is the most common naturally occurring diamond colour.

• Blue, green, red, and completely colourless diamonds are the rarest and most valuable.

The GIA Colour Scale ranges from D (colourless) to Z (lightly tinted). While the differences between grades can be subtle - often invisible to the naked eye - they can greatly influence a diamond’s value.

At LRK, we help you understand how each shade interacts with light and design - so your diamond feels uniquely yours.

Clarity

Every diamond tells a story of immense heat, pressure, and time. Those natural conditions can leave behind tiny internal marks (called inclusions) or surface features (blemishes).

The GIA Clarity Scale classifies diamonds into 11 grades, based on how visible these characteristics are under 10x magnification:

• FL (Flawless): No inclusions or blemishes visible.

• IF (Internally Flawless): No inclusions, only minor surface marks.

• VVS1–VVS2 (Very, Very Slightly Included): Minute inclusions, invisible to the naked eye.

• VS1–VS2 (Very Slightly Included): Minor inclusions seen only by skilled graders.

• SI1–SI2 (Slightly Included): Inclusions visible under magnification, sometimes to the eye.

• I1–I3 (Included): Obvious inclusions visible to the naked eye.

A diamond’s clarity doesn’t just affect its appearance - it also contributes to its character. At LRK, we’ll guide you through each grade to find the perfect balance of brilliance, beauty, and budget.

Cut

A diamond’s cut is what brings it to life. It’s not about shape, but about how the stone interacts with light - creating its sparkle, fire, and scintillation.

The GIA Cut Scale (from Excellent to Poor) evaluates how well a round diamond’s proportions, symmetry, and angles maximise its brightness and reflection.

For other shapes - like oval, pear, emerald, and princess - these are known as fancy cuts. While they aren’t graded on the same scale, their beauty lies in their individuality and how they complement your chosen design.

The right cut ensures your diamond doesn’t just sparkle; it glows with life.

Carat

Carat measures a diamond’s weight, not its size. One carat equals 200 milligrams, and every carat is divided into 100 points for precise measurement.

Generally, the higher the carat weight, the rarer and more valuable the diamond. But appearance can be deceiving, the shape and cut also influence how large a diamond looks.

For instance, oval and pear shapes often appear larger than round cuts of the same carat weight due to their elongated surface area.

At LRK Jewellers, we help you consider every detail, from proportion to presence, ensuring your diamond feels perfectly balanced and beautifully proportioned.

Crafted with Meaning

Every diamond has its own fingerprint - no two are ever the same.
Whether you’re drawn to the icy brilliance of a colourless stone or the rich depth of a fancy colour diamond, we’ll help you find the perfect one to tell your story.

Visit LRK Jewellers Brisbane to explore our custom fine jewellery - where craftsmanship, education, and emotion come together to create something distinctly yours.