Diamond Basics, the 4 Cs

The name diamond comes from the Greek "adamas," meaning unconquerable. Made of pure carbon, diamonds are the hardest natural substance known to man. Every diamond is unique, with its own individual beauty. Selecting the finest diamonds is an intuitive art: the work of a connoisseur rather than a scientist.

We at Paulo Geiss Jewelers evaluate the diamonds we purchase in two overall ways: QUALITY, as defined by the 4C's, and BEAUTY, which involves going beyond technical grading to discover diamonds that have exceptional fire, life and brilliance.

The four most popular factors used to measure the rarity of a diamond are cut, color, carat weight and clarity. The 4C's selection criteria, introduced by DeBeers to consumers in 1939, is a valuable tool that will help educate you so that you can better evaluate the quality of the diamond(s) you purchase.

Please click on the links on the left for further information on the 4C's.