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      1. Home
      2. Education
      3. Diamonds

      Learn About Diamonds

      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.

      • Carat
      • Cut
      • Color
      • Clarity

      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 The Yellow Door 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.

      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

      This is the rarest cut grade and reflects the most light.

      Very Good

      This cut grade reflects nearly as much light as an Excellent cut grade, but for a lower price.

      Good

      This cut grade reflects most of the light that enters the diamond, but not as much as a Very Good cut grade.

      Fair

      This cut grade may appear dull or even glassy, and is very inexpensive.

      Poor

      This cut grade is not carried by The Yellow Door and is typically not recommended.

      Excellent
      Very Good
      Good
      Fair
      Poor
      Not carried by The Yellow Door

      MORE DIAMONDS

      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
      Z-N
      M-K
      J
      I
      H
      G
      F
      E
      D
      Noticeable Color
      Near Colorless
      Colorless

      The Clarity

      Diamonds are composed of mostly carbon. During the heating process, other elements become trapped inside, giving each diamond its own unique fingerprint. These inclusions help identify the clarity of your diamond. All diamonds are viewed through a 10x magnification lens by diamond graders.

      Flawless

      No inclusions or blemishes are visible to a skilled grader.

      Internally Flawless

      No inclusions and only blemishes are visible to a skilled grader.

      Very Very Slightly Included

      Inclusions are difficult for a skilled grader to see.

      Very Slightly Included

      Inclusions are clearly visible but can be characterized as minor.

      Slightly Included

      Inclusions are noticeable to a skilled grader.

      Included

      Inclusions are obvious and may affect transparency and brilliance.

      FFlawless
      IFInternally Flawless
      VVS1
      VVS2
      Very Very Slightly Included
      VS1
      VS2
      Very Slightly Included
      SI1
      SI2
      Slightly Included
      I1
      I2
      I3
      Included

      MORE DIAMONDS

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      Locations

      Due to Covid restrictions and related issues, please call Stores to verify hours. Thanks for your understanding.

        Brooklyn Store
        1308 Avenue M
        Brooklyn, NY 11230
        (718) 998-7382
        Store Information
        Deal Store
        SUMMER ONLY AND BY APPOINTMENT OFF-SEASON
        114 Norwood Avenue
        Deal, NJ 07723
        (732) 531-1110
        Store Information
        Lakewood Store
        Seagull Square Shopping Plaza
        1328 River Avenue
        Lakewood, NJ 08701
        (732) 531-1110
        Store Information
        Hours
        Weekdays:10am until 5:45pm
        Thursdays:Late till 6:45pm
        Fridays:Close 2 Hours Before Sundown
        Saturdays:Closed
        Sundays:11am - 5pm
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