The 4 Cs of Gemstone Quality Explained
Cut, color, clarity, and carat — the four words behind every great stone.
Whether you're shopping for moissanite or diamond, the same four qualities describe any stone: the 4 Cs. Understanding them helps you spend wisely and choose what matters to you.
Cut
Cut is the most important C for sparkle — it's how well a stone's facets are shaped and angled to return light. A great cut makes a stone come alive; a poor one looks dull regardless of size.
Color
For white stones, color measures how colorless they are — the whiter, the more premium. See how this works for moissanite in Color Grades Explained.
Clarity
Clarity describes how free a stone is from tiny internal marks. “Eye-clean” — no marks visible to the naked eye — is the standard most people care about.
Carat
Carat is the stone's weight, which relates to size. Remember that shape affects how big a carat looks — see Carat Sizes.
FAQs
Which of the 4 Cs matters most?
Cut — it has the biggest effect on a stone's sparkle, more than size or any other factor.
Do the 4 Cs apply to moissanite?
Yes — cut, color, clarity, and carat describe moissanite too, though quality clarity and color come standard, so cut and carat are your main choices.
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