Did you know there are over 10 000 possible combinations of the basic diamond specifications: color, shape, clarity and cut grade?
It can be overwhelming at first.
But it doesn’t have to be.
The 4C model is a straightforward and practical starting point to help you understand the most important characteristics and how they affect the appearance, quality and price of any diamond.
After mastering the 4C’s you’ll be well on your way to finding the perfect lab diamond for your engagement ring.
There are a handful of differences worth noting when you’re weighing up mined diamonds to laboratory-made.
Let’s dig in.
Brief Note on Laboratory Made Diamonds
Until recently, Mother Earth had sole rights to the creation of diamonds.
She takes her time over a few million years to bake them in the Earth’s crust under immense pressure and heat. When ready, they’re mined, cut into polished gemstones, and masterfully set into high-end engagement rings and all sorts of coveted jewelry items.
And then, as if an Alchemist’s prayers were answered, a process to make real diamonds in a laboratory was discovered.
Using the same ingredients as Mother Earth, laboratories can mimic and greatly expedite the natural diamond formation process from millions of years to months.
This process yields true and real diamonds with their characteristic crystal structure, sparkle, fire and durability.
Demand for them is growing by the day for many reasons. Since they;
- Share the identical molecular structure and composition of natural diamonds.
- Are visually indistinguishable from naturally formed diamonds.
- Cost at up to 80% less than a similar natural diamond.
- Are independently graded by leading diamond grading laboratories including the venerable GIA.
- Are real diamonds and, as expected, test as such on digital diamond testers.
The 4C’s of diamonds: Carat
Carat is simply a measure of weight, like kilogram and pounds, used in the jewelry industry.
It’s as simple as – 1,00 Gram = 5,00 ct (carats).
Since diamonds become rarer the larger they are their price per carat climbs steeply with weight increases.
These two diamonds have identical specifications apart from the doubling in weight. Note how the price jumps from 1,00ct to the 2,00ct mark…
Importance of weight
There’s no way around it. Close to every diamond engagement ring design ever imagined looks better with a larger diamond.
It matters.
That’s why most of the diamond ring designs you find online and in print advertising are displayed with a beyond-average size centre diamond to make the design look as impressive as possible.
For any set budget, you can get a significantly larger lab diamond than a mined diamond of similar quality.
(from this to this image)
Although lab diamonds have much more going for them than their attractive price, access to larger and higher quality diamonds is one of the main drivers behind the movement toward lab diamonds.
4Cs of Diamonds: Color
Diamond color, the next of the 4Cs of diamonds, significantly influences a diamond’s quality, allure and value.
In the diamond industry, the best color is no color at all. This absence of color allows the diamond to act like a prism, dispersing light into a beautiful spectrum of shades.
The renowned Gemmological Institute of America (GIA) created a diamond color scale as part of their international diamond grading system to standardize diamond color grading.
This scale grades diamonds from D (completely colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown). As you move down the alphabet from one letter to the next the prominence of the color tint very slightly intensifies.
Diamond color has a direct impact on a diamond’s price and value.
In white diamonds, those that are colorless are the rarest, thus commanding higher prices. As you move down the color scale, the presence of yellow or brown tints can decrease a diamond’s value.
The diamond color chart is a globally recognized benchmark, ensuring that when you talk about a diamond’s color grade, everyone is on the same page.
Diamond color grading is a meticulous process performed under controlled conditions by expert gemologists. The color, or lack thereof, in a diamond greatly impacts a diamond’s visual appeal. For traditional white diamonds, a high color grade, which signifies less color, enhances the stone’s brilliance and sparkle.
Colorless Diamonds (D-E-F)
Diamonds in the D-F color range are classified as colorless. Their lack of color allows them to reflect more light, enhancing their sparkle and making them a top choice for engagement rings. In the realm of mined diamonds, this color range has traditionally been quite costly, often deterring buyers from paying the premium prices. However, lab-grown diamonds have changed the game.
Given that the creation process for a high color diamond is the same as for a lower color diamond, labs have focused on producing colorless diamonds. This color range is truly stunning and often becomes the deciding factor when choosing between an average color mined diamond and a top-tier color lab-grown diamond. As you would expect, these colors set up brilliantly white in any diamond jewelry.
D – Absolutely Colorless: This is the pinnacle of the GIA color grading scale. D color diamonds are extremely rare and exhibit virtually no color, allowing the most light to pass through and resulting in exceptional sparkle.
E – Colorless: Diamonds in this category have only minute color traces that can only be detected by expert gemologists. They’re also highly prized and are indistinguishable from D color diamonds to the untrained eye.
F – Colorless: F color diamonds have a nearly undetectable amount of color that can only be identified by gemological experts under specific conditions. To the naked eye, they appear colorless.
Near Colorless (G-J)
Diamonds in the G-J color grade are considered near colorless. These diamonds may have a very slight yellow or brown tint, but it’s usually difficult to see unless compared side-by-side with a completely colorless diamond. These diamonds are sold at a discount compared to colorless lab diamond prices.
G – Near Colorless: Although technically in the “near colorless” category, G color diamonds mostly appear colorless and offer excellent value. Any hint of color is hard to detect unless compared side-by-side with diamonds of a higher grade.
H – Near Colorless: An H color diamond has a very slight warmth to it, but it’s rarely noticeable unless compared directly to diamonds of a higher color grade. They are an excellent value, offering a near colorless appearance at a less premium price.
I – Near Colorless: Diamonds of an I color grade have a slightly detectable warmth or tone, especially when compared to diamonds of higher color grades. Still, in most cases, these diamonds appear colorless when viewed face up.
J – Near Colorless: J color diamonds exhibit a warm tone that can be more noticeable in larger diamonds or when set in white metal settings. Despite this, they are still considered good value, and the color isn’t usually detectable to the untrained eye.
Faint Color Diamonds (K-L)
Diamonds in the K-L grade have a faint, yet observable light brown or yellow tint to them. In the mined diamond variety, these colors have traditionally been quite popular with those optimizing for diamond size without blatant detrimental compromise on color. They were white enough to pass as white-ish once set in a piece of jewelry. However, with the advent of higher color lab-grown diamonds at more accessible prices, demand in this range has significantly decreased.
Fancy Color Diamonds
Fancy color diamonds, the official term for diamonds that display vibrant hues, present a unique and thrilling departure from traditional white diamonds. While most diamonds are prized for their absence of color, fancy color diamonds are celebrated for their intense and rich hues of every color of the rainbow.
The intensity of the color is one of the main factors that determine the value of a fancy color diamond. Generally, the more intense and pure the color, the higher the diamond’s cost.
While natural fancy color diamonds remain rare and highly prized, advancements in lab technology have made these colorful marvels more accessible. Exotic colors like red, pink, and blue are now available for little more than their colorless sisters.
4C’s of Diamonds: Cut (The most important C)
Diamond cut is often confused with the diamond shape (Round, oval, square). You’ll find some jewellers that don’t even know the difference.
But at least you do, now.
The Cut grade refers to how well a diamond was cut and polished from uncut/rough to maximise its characteristic life, sparkle and brilliance.
A diamond has very special light reflection and refraction characteristics. You can think of a diamond’s facets (sides) as internal mirrors that reflect light internally to and from the diamond’s environment.
To optimise this light show – the ideal angles, dimensions, and proportions of every facet have been scientifically determined. During grading a diamond is 3D scanned and compared to this benchmark range of values.
If the diamond has been poorly made the size, clarity and color don’t matter… You’re stuck with what looks like a dull piece of glass.
In the world of naturally formed diamonds, the GIA is the benchmark of truthful, consistent third-party diamond grading. They developed the benchmark cut-grade scale:
- Excellent: Optimal light reflection and refraction.
- Very Good: Very close to perfect – mostly indistinguishable from Excellent cut unless you know your diamonds very well.
- Good: Some look nice, but most don’t. Not recommended.
- Fair: No.
- Poor: No.
Currently, most laboratory-made diamonds are graded by the IGI which does a great job but uses a slightly different cut grading system.
I don’t think it’s more than linguistics to differentiate themselves.
Where GIA’s top cut tier is Excellent, the IGI adds a tier above that called “Ideal”.
Whether you opt for GIA’s Excellent, IGI’s Excellent or Ideal cut – you’re buying the cream of the crop.
4C’s of Diamonds: Clarity
The clarity grade is a measure of the pureness of a diamond.
Both natural and laboratory-made diamonds have certain inclusions/imperfections in them.
Inclusions vary greatly in type, severity, color and location.
These range from benign minuscule white spots to cracks that severely compromise the strength of a diamond. And everything in between.
These inclusions leave every diamond with its own unique fingerprint.
The clarity grade is determined by a gemologist viewing and judging the type and amount of inclusions visible in a diamond at 10X magnification.
They’re not graded by the naked eye, and often these inclusions are impossible to spot without magnification.
After inspection, the gemologist issues a clarity grade based on what they saw;
- Internally Flawless: No visible Impurities under 10X magnification
- VVS: Very, very small inclusions barely visible under 10X magnification
- VS: Very small inclusions visible under 10X magnification.
- SI: Small inclusions that might be visible to the naked eye.
- I: Very obviously included to the naked eye.
Eye-clean is all you need.
87% of women polled strongly prefer diamonds free from any visible inclusions to the naked eye.
Without magnification VS2-clarity and higher is usually flawless to the naked eye and all you need to ensure your laboratory-grown diamond engagement ring is absolutely blemish-free.
Rather increase the size of your main diamond than max out clarities beyond what your eye can see.
*For sizes over 2,00ct, VVS2 and higher might be the safer bet.
As with color, diamond growing laboratories focus on creating diamonds that are at the upper end of the clarity grading scale, and the vast majority are of higher clarity than those typically found in mined diamond engagement rings.
We’re here for you
Navigating the world of diamonds can be complex, but with the right knowledge and guidance, you can find a diamond that perfectly suits your preferences and budget.
At Lumen Diamonds, we’re here to assist you every step of the way. Our team of experts is ready to answer any questions you may have and guide you in finding the perfect diamond. We believe in making your diamond buying experience as transparent and enjoyable as possible. Reach out to us today, and let’s embark on this exciting journey together.
Feel free to contact us here, or send an email to info@lumendiamonds.com
FAQs
All the 4Cs of diamonds – carat weight, cut, color, and clarity – are important as they collectively determine a visual appeal, value and diamond quality. However, many experts consider diamond cut to be the most important as it has the greatest influence on a diamond’s sparkle.
VS1 and VS2 are both clarity grades that fall under the “Very Slightly Included” category. VS1 diamonds have fewer and smaller inclusions than VS2 diamonds, making them technically better in terms of clarity. However, the inclusions in both VS1 and VS2 diamonds are usually not visible to the naked eye, making them both excellent diamond clarity choices for diamond jewelry.
The best diamond for an engagement ring depends on personal preference and budget. However, a round brilliant diamond is the most popular choice due to its exceptional brilliance and timeless appeal. Regarding quality, we recommend VS2-clarity and higher, color no lower than J and diamond cut grades of Excellent or Ideal.
A diamond with a “Flawless” clarity grade has the best clarity. This means it has no inclusions or blemishes visible under 10x magnification.
depend on the diamond shape and size. For larger diamonds or shapes that reveal more of the diamond’s core (like emerald or asscher cuts), color may be more noticeable. In contrast, in smaller diamonds or brilliant cuts (like round or princess), inclusions may be less visible, making clarity less important.
The best color for a diamond is colorless, graded as D on the GIA color scale. These diamonds have no hue and allow maximum light return, enhancing their brilliance and sparkle.
Colorless diamonds (D-F on the GIA scale) give the most sparkle as they allow the maximum amount of light to pass through, enhancing their brilliance and fire. Please note that the bulk of diamond sparkle and fire is due to its cut grade.
The round brilliant cut diamond is known to have the most sparkle. This is due to its 58 facets which are precisely cut to maximize light return. Cushion cuts also offer a spectacular light show!
A diamond’s sparkle, also known as its brilliance, is determined by how well it’s cut. A well-cut diamond will reflect light internally from one facet to another and disperse it through the top of the stone, creating a beautiful sparkle.
When buying a diamond, all the 4Cs – carat weight, cut, color, and clarity – are important. However, the cut is often considered the most important as it directly influences a diamond’s brilliance and sparkle. It’s also important to buy a diamond that comes with a grading report from a reputable gemological laboratory.
A diamond’s brightness is primarily determined by its cut. A well-cut diamond will reflect more light and appear brighter. Additionally, a higher color grade can also make a diamond look brighter as it allows more light to pass through the stone.
The diamond carat weight of a diamond ring depends on personal preference and budget. However, the average carat weight for a diamond engagement ring in the United States is around 1 – 1.5 carats.
Several factors can make a diamond appear larger. These include the diamond’s cut, shape, and setting. For example, certain shapes like oval, marquise, and pear can appear larger than round or square cuts of the same carat weight. Similarly, certain settings like halo settings can make the center diamond appear larger.
