His name comes from the Greek word adamas, which means unbreakable. With a hardness of 10 on the Mohs scale, diamond is the hardest material on earth. It is best known in its white variant, but exists in a lot of different colors.

The stone symbolizes infinity and is said to bring its wearer peace, wealth and happiness in love.

When buying a good quality diamond, the 4 Cs are especially important.

Want to learn more about gemstones? GIA is our trusted source for gemstone information.

The 4 Cs

No two diamonds are alike; each has its own unique “fingerprint.

The four Cs stand for Carat, Color, Clarity and Cut, and are the price determinants of a diamond.

Carat or Carat

The weight of a diamond is expressed in carats. One carat corresponds to 0.2 grams.

Clarity or Purity

Clarity describes how pure a diamond is. Diamonds contain tiny inclusions, these ensure that each diamond is unique, has its own “fingerprint.”

Color of Color

White diamonds come in many color gradations: from colorless to with a pale yellowish shine.

Exceptionally, one also finds “fancy colored” diamonds. They are very rare, with only 1 in 10,000 diamonds having an intense natural color. Colored diamonds are found in virtually every color of the rainbow, from yellow, blue and green to deep red and purple.

Cut or Grind

This “C” represents the shape and is determined by the grinder of the stone.