We buy jewellery to celebrate an occasion or a milestone in our lives or sometimes just as a gesture to tell that special someone how much they mean to us. But buying your first diamond is often an intimidating experience coupled with a lot of advice from family and friends.

You’ve probably heard a lot of opinions about the quality and value of lab-grown diamonds, but the truth is that there is no ‘better’ between lab-grown diamonds and mined diamonds. Mined diamonds come with their millions of years of mystery and enigma while lab-grown diamonds represent a new-age world that thrives on technology. But both types of diamonds represent love & elegance.

We understand that diamonds are expensive, and you deserve the knowledge you need to make an informed purchase. We designed this guide to be a comprehensive resource, irrespective of whether you love the magic of naturally sourced diamonds or the cutting edge technology of cultivated diamonds.

Clarity

Cut

Diamond cut is often mistaken to be the shape of the diamond, but cut refers to the proportions of the diamond, the polish of the diamond and the quality of craftsmanship. Shape refers to the general outward appearance of the diamond such as round, emerald, or pear. Cut is a reference to its reflective qualities. 

While all the other Cs are largely determined by nature, cut is the one that can be determined by man. The cut of a diamond determines how successfully a diamond interacts with light to create the visual effects of brilliance, fire and scintillation (sparkle).

When a diamond is cut well, light enters through the table and travels to the pavilion where it reflects from facet to facet till it is thrown back through the table to the observer’s eye. This is called the light performance of a diamond. A poorly cut diamond makes the light seep out from the sides and the bottom of the diamond and it looks dull and lifeless despite its clarity and colour grading.

See the graphic below to see how the cut affects the light performance of the diamond.

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The DIVAA 101 diamond

The cut of a diamond has three primary effects on appearance: Brilliance, Scintillation, and Fire.

Brilliance refers to the magnificent brightness of a diamond, created by reflection of light, internally and externally.

Fire refers to the dispersion of light into the colors of the rainbow as the light travels through the diamond. The more colourless the diamond, the truer the dispersed colours will appear. 

Scintillation or Sparkle refers to flashes of light, or sparkles, which are produced when a diamond is tilted from side to side. It is the pattern of light and dark areas caused by reflections within the diamond which creates a sparkling visual effect. 

Maximum brilliance is achieved in diamonds that posses both greatest fire and best scintillation. And this is amplified when the facets are maximised. 

The DIVAA 101 diamond has 101 facets that are cut to perfection to maximise light performance. When you have almost double the amount of facets that are well cut, then the Fire and Scintillation of that diamond is maximised. 

So what you get is maximum light performance i.e. a resplendent Dazzling diamond!

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Clarity

Clarity is the measurement of the imperfections present on the surface of the diamond and within the diamond. Imperfections on the surface are called blemishes while they are called inclusions when they are present inside the diamond.

The real measure of clarity is to ensure that the diamond is ‘eye-clean’ i.e. you need a magnifying glass or loupe to see these imperfections. In most cases, a diamond’s beauty is not affected by these flaws since most inclusions can’t be seen with the naked eye. Diamonds with the fewest and smallest inclusions receive the highest clarity grades (i.e. graded SI2 or better). Diamonds graded below SI2 usually possess eye visible imperfections, meaning that the unaided eye can easily discern the various blemishes in the stone. Natural inclusions and blemishes are inevitable when diamonds are made under the Earth’s surface through enormous pressure and heat. In fact, gemologists refer to these imperfections as the diamond’s ‘internal characteristics’ and not flaws. While clarity is less important than a diamond’s cut or color, if you are buying a diamond over one carat or considering certain fancy-shaped diamonds (like an emerald or Asscher cut where flaws are more visible), you may want to spend more for a higher clarity grade. As diamond size increases, the size of the facets (the multiple mirror-like surfaces on the diamond) become more abundant. This can make inclusions more visible. Evaluating the diamond’s clarity involves determining the number, size, nature and position of these characteristics, as well as how these affect the overall appearance of the stone. The higher the diamond’s clarity grading, the higher its value. Any more inclusions than the SI quality, the diamond starts to lack in brilliance and transparency.
DIVAA’s cultivated diamonds occupy the top clarity grades between VVS and VS, ensuring you the confidence of buying diamond  jewellery that will always radiate beauty.

Clarity

 Colour

The colour of a diamond is evaluated in terms of the degree of absence of colour. The color of a diamond is graded on an alphabetical scale starting at D and ranging all the way down to Z, with D being a colorless diamond and Z being yellow. The more colourless the diamond, the higher its value. However, most diamonds which appear colourless actually have slight tones of yellow or brown.

Some of these differences are not visible to the naked eye, but directly impact the overall quality and price of the stone. Only a certified grading professional can determine a diamond’s color grade. If you are buying a diamond under 1 carat, you might consider choosing an I, J, or K color diamond. But for diamonds over 1 carat, we recommend higher colour-grade diamonds. DIVAA’s cultivated diamonds occupy the top color grades between D and H, ensuring you the confidence of buying diamond  jewellery that will always radiate beauty.

Colour Card
Colour Card
Colour Card
Colour Card
D Absolutely colourless with a pure icy look. The highest quality of a diamond colour, which is extremely rare.
E - F Colourless. Very negligible traces of colour can be noticed by an expert gemmologist.
G - H Near-colourless. Colour noticeable when compared to diamonds of better grades, but no discernible colour.
I - J, K Colour slightly detectable. Budget- friendly choice.
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Carat

Carat refers to a diamond's weight, not its size. In all diamonds, size is a large contributor to the price. Two diamonds of equal carat weight, however, can have very different quality and price when the other three Cs are considered. But for many of us, this means that we settle for a smaller size diamond within our budget. However, there are several ways to navigate the 4 Cs in order to get your dream diamond jewellery. 

1. Look at different combinations of the 3 Cs (clarity, colour & carat) - You can settle for a lower lower clarity or colour grade if the diamond is of smaller carat size but never compromise on the cut. 

You can opt for a lower clarity range in exchange for a higher cut or colour grade in case of diamonds under 1 carat weight. 

a. If your budget is tight and you choose a diamond with a visible imperfection, make sure the imperfection is hidden beneath the prongs or bezels where it will not be seen. 

b. As diamond size increases above 1.5 carats, colour becomes more noticeable. 

c. The type of metal in which a diamond is set can complement its colour. Hence when choosing diamonds graded I or J should ideally be set in yellow gold. White gold or platinum best complement diamonds with a colour grade of D - H.

2. Certain settings can make a diamond appear larger like the Halo setting in which the center stone is surrounded by a ring of small diamonds.

3. Band size affects the look of a diamond’s carat. Selecting a thin band makes the center stone appear larger. 

4. Cluster of diamonds can make the diamond look larger-  Popular setting like the Pave, Miracle Plating, Cluster etc. along with a center diamond, make the centre diamond appear larger. 

5. With cultivated diamonds which are competitively priced, you can still manage to get more carats within your budget.

Now that you have read about the simple way of assessing and then choosing your diamond, enjoy buying your favorite diamond jewellery without a worry. And also please read the Jewellery Buying and Care guide so that your precious ornaments continue to dazzle the world!

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