Diamond Education

At Morris Jewelry, we believe an informed choice leads to a more meaningful purchase—especially when it comes to selecting a diamond. We use the internationally recognized 4 Cs of Diamond QualityCut, Color, Clarity, and Carat Weight—a standard developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). This trusted system helps ensure every diamond is evaluated with precision, consistency, and confidence.

The Four Cs of Diamonds

Our Four C's of Diamonds guide can help you decide on the most important factors when shopping for a diamond.

The Carat Weight

The word carat derives from the word carob, a Mediterranean seed, which has an extremely consistent weight for measuring. The greater the carat weight, the rarer, and more valuable the diamond becomes. Five metric carats weighs exactly 1 gram.

Some people want the largest diamond possible. If size is a priority, we at Morris Jewelry can help you classify the proper cut, color and clarity to fit your budget economically, and fit your jewelry beautifully. Many of our engagement rings can fit diamonds up to 5.00 carats, but each ring has different size constraints based on its size and the type of setting. Prong settings can be manipulated to fit virtually any size diamond, but tension-set diamonds and bezel set diamonds have more limitations on size.

.25 CT
(4.1 MM)
.5 CT
(5.1 MM)
.75 CT
(5.8 MM)
1 CT
(6.4 MM)
1.25 CT
(6.9 MM)
1.5 CT
(7.4 MM)
1.75 CT
(7.8 MM)
2 CT +
(8.1 MM)
The Cut

The true definition of cut is the quality of the proportions and symmetry of the diamond. Your diamond's proportions make a vast difference on how brightly your diamond shines. An 'ideal cut' diamond is one that allows the maximum amount of light to return through the top of the diamond, which takes into consideration the depth, table size, crown height and angle, girdle thickness and more. Our diamond professionals will be happy to assist you in selecting the best diamond cut.

After a rough diamond is mined, it is evaluated to determine its best possible cut, in order to maintain the maximum clarity, color, and carat weight. The term 'cut' is often confused with diamond 'shape', such as round brilliant or princess cut.

Excellent

Cut with precision to reflect nearly all the light it captures, an Ideal cut diamond delivers maximum brilliance and sparkle. This is the highest standard in cut quality—rare, radiant, and prized for its exceptional beauty.

Very Good

While slightly more affordable than Excellent, a Very Good cut diamond reflects nearly as much light, delivering outstanding beauty and performance—without the premium price tag.

Good

A Good cut diamond still offers significant brilliance by reflecting most of the light. It's a well-balanced option that gives you sparkle and value in equal measure.

Fair

This diamond’s grade is limited by its scintillation. The combination of a shallow crown angle and a somewhat shallow pavilion angle leads to a face-up appearance with a lack of contrast and general darkness.

Poor

Poor cut diamonds lose a considerable amount of light, leading to a noticeably dull or glassy appearance. These are not carried by Morris Jewelry and are generally not recommended for anyone seeking true sparkle.

The Color

Color is one of the more noticeable attributes of a diamond and has a heavy impact on the price of the stone. Diamonds range from colorless to yellow or light brown, and are sometimes found in a spectrum of fancy colors, including yellow, blue, and even red diamonds. The less color, the rarer the diamond. After 'Z' on the color scale, diamonds become fancy yellow, which cost more because of their rarity.

Z-N
M-K
NOTICEABLE COLOR
J
I
H
G
NEAR COLORLESS
F
E
D
COLORLESS
The Clarity

Clarity refers to the tiny internal characteristics inside a diamond, known as inclusions, and any surface imperfections called inclusions. Developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), diamond clarity grades—from Flawless (FL) to Included (I3)—help you understand a stone’s purity, performance, and uniqueness under 10× magnification.

Most inclusions are too small to see without magnification, but the fewer there are, the rarer and more valuable the diamond.

FL
Flawless
IF
Internally Flawless
VVS₁
VVS₂
Very, Very Slightly Included
VS₁
VS₂
Very Slightly Included
SI₁
SI₂
Slightly Included
I₁
I₂
I₃
Included
FL
Flawless
IF
Internally
Flawless
VVS₁
VVS₂
Very, Very Slightly Included
VS₁
VS₂
Very Slightly Included
SI₁
SI₂
Slightly Included
I₁
I₂
I₃
Included

Diamond Buying Tips

Buying a diamond is a meaningful investment—and it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Whether you're shopping for an engagement ring or a gift that lasts a lifetime, here are a few tips to help you make a confident decision:

Diamond Weight & Size

Some people want to buy the biggest diamond possible. Is this always the right choice? We feel that it's always a matter of preference, but here's something to think about:

The larger the diamond, chances are the more inclusions it likely has, and because it's larger, these inclusions are typically even more visible than on a smaller diamond. But most importantly, if the diamond cut isn't proportioned correctly, it won't return the maximum amount of light through the top of the diamond.

This illustrates that no matter how large the diamond, its cut and proportions determine how brilliant the diamond really is.

Diamond Color

Since diamond colors range from colorless to yellowish-brown, sometimes these colors can add warmth or depth to your diamond. Also, by mounting a non-colorless diamond in yellow gold can make the diamond appear colorless in some cases.

We are always happy to share our expertise about diamonds. Please let us know how we can help you make a confident decision in your diamond purchase.

Choosing the Right Setting

When shopping for the perfect ring setting, there are many setting styles to choose from.

Solitaire Setting

Solitaire settings are great if you have a stunning singular stone that has been passed down through the generations as an heirloom, many choose to display it in a classic Solitaire setting. This setting generally allows for the maximum amount of sparkle by allowing light to pass in through the bottom sections of the ring.

Style Information:
  • Enhances the overall beauty of the ring’s head
  • Balances the ring size without having to use a wide metal band
  • Creates the illusion that the center gemstone is larger in size
Accent Stone Setting
Style Information:
  • Interesting transition between stones and band
  • Allows for the use of Baguette and Square cut side stones
  • Creates a stunning frame for the center stone
Three Stone Setting
Style Information:
  • Allows for a bouquet of stones of different colors
  • Values equal size stones with a flat hierarchy between them
  • Can synergize a small-medium size stone
Antique Setting

Solitaire settings are great if you have a stunning singular stone that has been passed down through the generations as an heirloom, many choose to display it in a classic Solitaire setting. This setting generally allows for the maximum amount of sparkle by allowing light to pass in through the bottom sections of the ring.

Style Information:
  • Adds interest to the band of the ring
  • Great addition to any dressed up outfit
  • Vintage, classy feel