Lab diamonds receive grading reports from independent gemological organizations on the 4Cs: Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat Weight. Just like in mined diamonds, lab diamonds will exhibit variations across the 4Cs and range from poor to superlative quality. Not all lab diamonds are perfect, colorless, and flawless!
A diamonds ability to refract light and shine so intensely is one of the reasons a diamond is the gem of choice for most people. Many think about a diamond shape when referring to the diamonds cut, but a diamonds cut grade is really referring to how the light interacts with the facets on the diamond. Each diamond is cut to deliver the top return of light possible for that particular diamond.
A diamond cut doesn’t refer to the shape of the diamond, but to the diamonds proportions, symmetry, and polish completed by the diamond cutters. Although difficult to analyze, the general beauty of a diamond is directly related to the cut of the diamond.
The diamond cut has three crucial properties, which affect the appearance: Brilliance (the brightness of the white light that is reflected from the interior and exterior of the diamond. The light enters through the top of the diamond and gets broken down into rainbow like colors); Fire (the spectacular appearance of the rainbow colors when the diamond is tilted from side to side); Scintillation (the amount of rainbow colors the diamond produces)
Despite all thoughts on diamond color referring to the amount of color seen in a diamond, it actually refers to the lack of color found in a diamond. Besides for fancy colored diamonds (pink, blue, etc.), the less yellow appearance in a stone, the more value a diamond has. The color grading starts at D (colorless) and goes down to Z (most color).
D: Absolutely colorless. The highest color grade, which is extremely rare.
E: Colorless. Only minute traces of color can be detected by an expert gemologist, but are generally unnoticeable.
F: Colorless. Slight color detected by an expert gemologist, but still considered colorless.
G: Near-colorless. Color noticeable when compared to diamonds of better grades, but offers excellent value.
H: Near-colorless. Color slightly noticeable. Good value for the quality.
I: Near-colorless. Slight color visible.
J: Near-colorless. Noticeable color.
K-Z: Noticeable color to the naked eye, with the intensity increasing progressively from K to Z.
The diamond clarity grade refers to the lack of marks and inclusions within the diamond. Inclusions are characteristics formed inside a diamond while being formed under high temperature and pressure. Characteristics within the stone can look like tiny crystals, clouds, feathers, twinning wisp, knots, and pin points
FL IF: INTERNALLY FLAWLESS Free from internal blemishes visible under 10x magnification (small eternal details tolerated).
VVS1 VVS2: VERY VERY SLIGHTLY INCLUDED Inclusions and/or external blemishes very difficult to locate under 10x magnification.
VS1 VS2: VERY SLIGHTLY INCLUDED Inclusions and/or external blemishes difficult to locate under 10x magnification.
SI1 SI2: SLIGHTLY INCLUDED Inclusions and external blemishes easy to locate under 10x magnification.
I1 I2 I3: INCLUDED Inclusions and external blemishes very easy to locate under 10x magnification or with naked eye.
The diamond carat weight refers to the actual weight of the diamond. For comparison, 200 milligrams equals 1 carat. Every carat can be allocated into 100 points. For example, a diamond which weighs 0.50 carats, can also be referred to a 50 point, 50 pointer diamond, or half carat diamond.
