4 C’s
When it comes to purchasing lab grown diamonds, understanding the importance of the 4 C's is vital. These 4 C's serve as a comprehensive indicator of the diamond's quality:
- Carat - Denotes the weight of the diamond.
- Colour - Higher quality is associated with clearer diamond colour.
- Clarity - The presence of fewer imperfections allows the diamond to reflect more light and sparkle.
- Cut - Focuses on the stone's proportions, symmetry, and overall brilliance.
The 4 C's not only offer objective insights into your diamond's quality but also enable traceability. Every lab grown diamond purchase is accompanied by a certificate verifying its authenticity.
Carat
Carat, in the context of diamonds, represents the stone's weight. A carat is equivalent to 0.2 grams or can be expressed on a scale of 100 points or 200 milligrams. This scale provides precise measurement of diamond weight, rounding to two decimal places.
Although different cutting methods may create the illusion of varied carat weights, the actual weight remains consistent. Optically, certain diamond cuts may appear larger due to the proportions of the diamond.
When it comes to diamond jewellery, carat refers to the combined weight of all included diamonds. For instance, a necklace with 10 stones of 0.30 ct. will have a total weight of 3.00 ct.
Colour
Most quality lab grown diamonds suitable for jewellery have a colour range from white to yellow. The correct colour is determined by an internationally accepted master colour set developed by the GIA. The colour scale starts at D, the most coveted and colourless, and goes up to Z, the most yellow.
Different colours like brown, orange, pink, and blue can also be exhibited by diamonds. The most vibrant among these colours fall into the category of "Fancy Coloured" diamonds.
Coloured diamonds are graded into 9 subdivisions based on the nuances of colour and saturation that are unique to each stone. These subdivisions are named in increasing order based on the intensity of colour.
- Faint
- Very Light
- Light
- Fancy Light
- Fancy
- Fancy Intense
- Fancy Vivid
- Fancy Dark
- Fancy Deep
Clarity
An expert consultation is required to assess the brilliance and transparency of a stone. An expert uses a magnifying glass that provides 10 times magnification to inspect the diamond's inner characteristics. If no impurities are observed under these specific conditions, the stone is classified as pure. Please note that this assessment requires a professional evaluation to ensure accurate classification of the stone.
Imperfections are found in many lab grown diamonds, which affect their light reflection and overall brilliance. However, it's important to note that diamonds with inclusions can still be considered eye-clean.
The clarity of a diamond can be affected by two types of imperfections: external flaws, which are the result of wear or damage during the cutting process, and internal flaws, which are formed inside the stone during its creation. It's worth noting that there are three classifications of inclusions:
- Dark or black spots (spots) - dark spots that occur within the carbon phase
- Veils (clouds) - microscopic veil-like inclusions that weaken the brightness
- Cracks (plumes or feathers) - This is the most common type of inclusion.
Cut quality
The most crucial attribute of a diamond is its cut shape as it has the greatest impact on the diamond's brilliance. Brilliance, refers to the amount of light reflected by the stone.
When discussing the cut of a diamond, we're referring to its proportions, symmetry, and brilliance. If the pavilion of the diamond is excessively shallow or deep, light will escape from the bottom and sides of the gemstone. This issue affects the overall beauty and radiance of the diamond.
The crown of a well-cut diamond allows nearly all light to pass through, while the optical size is affected by the table's size, which varies based on the cut shape. The girdle, responsible for strength, is described rather than graded like the rest of the cut. The culet, a small facet at the bottom of the diamond, contributes to its brilliance, typically being too minuscule to the naked eye.
The cut quality is determined depending on the cut shape. Other shapes than the standard round cut are called 'fancy shapes'. The best-known shapes are cushion, pear shape, oval shape, princess shape and emerald. The brilliant is a round cut with 57 facets, featuring the highest level of sparkle among all available cuts.
