While well-intended to give consumers a better gauge by which to evaluate and select a diamond, the 4 Cs by themselves have become a propellant toward the commoditization and shrinking margins of these precious stones. Largely, this has happened through the relative availability of information on the Internet, the consumer perception that diamonds are plentiful and not rare, and the continued defensive practice too many jewellers employ of pinning their value proposition on a grading report that adds no real value to a diamond.