Your Guide to Buying Diamonds

What you need to know before making that big purchase

No discussion about buying diamonds, in any form, is complete without discussing these classic "Four C's." Additionally, understanding such criteria as diamond grading reports and the other components affecting a diamond's cost (price) will make for a sound and secure decision.

Since diamonds are an investment in love, money and the future, Inter-Continental Jewelers of Houston, Texas is here to assist you in making the best choice possible. Below are a links to individual pages that explain what each of the Four C’s means and why each is important to your diamond purchase and value. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find a link to our Diamond Shapes page to help you determine what If you are confused about any of these points, please feel free to contact us via our Contact Us page or give us a call toll free at 713.785.9600.

Clarity

This “C” is focused on evaluating the naturally occurring inclusions, or imperfections, present in a diamond. For more information on how this is measured and by whom, visit this page.

Cut

Cut describes the proportions and angles of a diamond. Many people confuse cut with the shape of a diamond. On this page, we will explain the difference between cut and shape and why cut is important to a diamond’s value.

Color

Diamonds are graded on a color scale implemented by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), which ranges from D, which is colorless, to Z, which includes diamonds that have a light yellow or light brown tint to them. Go to this page to learn more about the color grading scale.

Carat weight

A diamond’s weight is represented in carats and weight is the easiest of the four C’s to determine. To find out why, you can click on this link to go to the Diamond Carat Weight page.