A Guide to the 4Cs of Diamonds

An international measure of quality

Swarovski Created Diamonds jewelry Read the buying guide

SWAROVSKI CREATED Diamonds

What Are the 4Cs of Diamonds?

The 4Cs stand for color, cut, carat, and clarity. Universally recognized, they are a guiding light in the world of diamonds, helping to determine the quality and value of each stone.

Clarity Principles and Factors

The clarity of a laboratory grown diamond is determined by its flaws. Every stone has inclusions and blemishes that give it unique character and charm, many of which are only visible under a microscope. The diamond clarity scale ranges from Flawless (FL) to Included (I3). At the lower end of the scale, inclusions may affect the diamond’s transparency, brilliance, and durability.

SIMPLY FLAWLESS

Flawless and Internally Flawless (IF) stones are incredibly rare - most mined and laboratory grown diamonds have microscopic inclusions.

VISUALLY PERFECT

While almost all diamonds are flawed, those graded between IF and SI 2 have inclusions that aren’t visible to the naked eye, only under magnification.

Types of Inclusion

Different types of diamond inclusion are categorized as feather, pinpoint, cloud, and metallic. Metallic inclusions are only found in laboratory grown diamonds.

LIGHT PLAY

Extensive inclusions and blemishes (SI and I) are undesirable as they impact the way a diamond absorbs and reflects the light.

I.F.

Sans défauts internes

VVS 1

VVS 2

Minuscules inclusions

VS 1

VS 2

Très petites inclusions

SI 1

SI 2

Légères inclusions

I 1

I 2

I 3

Inclusions

Tableau de pureté des diamants de synthèse

Échelle d’évaluation de la clarté du diamant

L’échelle de pureté des diamants est utilisée pour indiquer la pureté d’une pierre basée sur deux caractéristiques naturelles : les inclusions et les imperfections. Le nombre, la nature, la taille et l’emplacement des caractéristiques externes (imperfections) et internes (inclusions) déterminent la note de pureté d’un diamant. Les grades de pureté des diamants sont déterminés dans des conditions d’observation standard avec un grossissement de 10x. IF est utilisé pour signifier un diamant sans défauts internes tandis que I3 représente un diamant avec des inclusions évidentes et visibles.

Qu’est-ce que la taille ?

La qualité de la taille dépend du savoir-faire. Le terme fait référence à la façon dont chaque facette d’un diamant interagit avec la lumière et révèle son éclat intérieur. La taille donne à chaque pierre sa propre personnalité, ses proportions parfaites, sa symétrie. Chaque angle taillé avec précision confère à nos diamants de synthèse une brillance éclatante.

Taille : principes et facteurs

La qualité d’un diamant de synthèse dépend de ses proportions, de sa symétrie et de son polissage. Une taille experte permet d’obtenir plusieurs facettes parfaitement taillées qui absorbent et reflètent la lumière, de sorte que la pierre scintille sous tous les angles. Lors de l’évaluation de la taille, les experts considèrent l’apparence du diamant vue de dessus, son design et son savoir-faire.

MAXIMUM BRILLIANCE

A diamond cut that is perfectly symmetrical with aligned facets will reflect the light at the highest possible intensity, emitting a powerful shine.

DIAMOND CUT CHART

Diamond cuts are graded by the IGI (International Gemological Institute) on a scale of Excellent to Poor. An excellent cut requires technical mastery, artistry, and expertise.

EVERY FACET

Facet is the term used to describe the flat surfaces that make up the whole of a diamond, each absorbing and dispersing the light differently.

THE BEST CUT

While proportion, symmetry, and polish determine a diamond’s place on the diamond cut table, there is no best cut when it comes to a stone that sparks joy.

Laboratory Grown Diamond Shapes

Swarovski Created Diamonds collections feature a range of different laboratory grown diamond shapes and cuts. The shape of a laboratory grown diamond refers to its outline or external form when viewed from above. Cut is a marker of quality, reflecting how well the stone has been faceted and polished as well as how the angles and proportions of each facet have been crafted to interact with the light. Choose one of our Swarovski Created Diamonds shapes to reflect your individual style and, as each stone is cut for brilliance, it will add luminosity to any look.

OCTAGON

Our proprietary Octagon cut has a brilliance and fire that defies expectation. Crafted with 57 facets, the cut symbolizes infinity, rebirth, and good fortune.

HEART

Heart-shaped laboratory grown diamonds are traditionally associated with love, passion, and romance. A bold and modern choice.

PEAR

Also known as a teardrop cut, pear diamond cuts are graceful yet dramatic thanks to their distinctive curved base and sharp point.

ROUND

The round cut is one of the most popular diamond cuts available, known for its timeless radiance, elegance, and long-lasting appeal.

SOLITAIRE

Solitaire refers to a diamond design that features only a single stone. Solitaires can be cut into several shapes including round, oval, Princess, and cushion cuts.

MIXED

Mixed diamond cuts refer to pieces of fine jewelry featuring two or more different types of cut that come together to form captivating combinations.

Color Principles and Factors

The most desirable diamond color is no color at all. Colorless stones are highly prized but they are also extremely rare, whereas lower quality diamonds can have a yellow or brown tone. The diamond color scale ranges from D to Z and Swarovski Created Diamonds collections only use laboratory grown diamonds with a color rating of D-G.

COMPLETE CLARITY

Truly colorless diamonds are rare. Rated D on the color scale, ice white stones are also the most expensive diamond color to buy.

FIND YOUR SHADE

An Ice White or D rated diamond may not be the right shade for your style. Consider a near colorless stone for a warmer glow.

CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT

Diamond color grade is assessed under controlled lighting in a laboratory. The stone is placed face down and master samples are used for comparison.

FREE FROM DEFECTS

Laboratory grown diamonds crafted from high quality carbon seeds do not include intentional blemishes or color defects.

Colorless

D-F

Near colorless

G-J

Slightly tinted

K-M

Very light color

N-R

Light color

S-Z

Diamond color scale

Diamond color is rated on a scale from D to Z. D to F are used to denote colorless stones, while those in the S to Z categories appear in shades of light yellow or brown. Swarovski Created Diamonds jewelry only uses the finest laboratory grown diamonds, meaning they range from colorless to near colorless (D-G).

What is Diamond Carat Weight?

A carat is a unit of weight used to measure precious stones including laboratory grown diamonds. When comparing diamonds, one can have a higher carat without appearing larger, and two diamonds with the same carat weight can vary in size if one is cut deeper than the other. One carat weighs one-fifth of a gram and can be divided into 100 points.

2.5 mm

0.05 CT

3.0 mm

0.10 CT

3.8 mm

0.20 CT

4.5 mm

0.30 CT

4.8 mm

0.40 CT

5.2 mm

0.50 CT

5.8 mm

0.70 CT

6.3 mm

0.90 CT

6.5 mm

1.00 CT

6.9 mm

1.25 CT

7.4 mm

1.50 CT

7.8 mm

1.75 CT

8.2 mm

2.00 CT

8.8 mm

2.50 CT

9.4 mm

3.00 CT

Diamond Carat Weight Chart

Laboratory grown diamond carat scale

Carats are the international standard unit of measurement for the weight of a diamond. It derives from the word ‘carob’, a seed that was used as a diamond weight reference for traders in the ancient world. One carat is equal to 200 milligrams so a five carat diamond will weigh one gram. Diamond carat doesn’t equate to the size of a stone, it simply refers to how much it weighs, and diamonds usually become more expensive as their carat weight increases.

Quality Assured

Chaque diamant de synthèse serti dans les bijoux raffinés Swarovski Created Diamonds est évalué et certifié par l’IGI (Institut Gemmologique International), selon les critères des 4Cs universellement reconnus. La taille, la pureté, la couleur et le poids en carats de chaque pierre déterminent sa qualité et sa valeur. Swarovski utilise uniquement des diamants de synthèse de haute qualité classés G+ en couleur et VS+ en pureté.

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Découvrez les Swarovski Created Diamonds

All About Swarovski Created Diamonds

Dive deeper into the world of Swarovski Created Diamonds. Explore collections that shine with traditional elegance to ones that take a fresh approach to diamond design.

Laboratory Grown Diamonds Buying Guide

Swarovski Created Diamonds fine jewelry collections feature distinctive designs that pair masterfully cut laboratory grown diamonds with precious metals.

Read our laboratory grown diamonds buying guide

What Are Laboratory Grown Diamonds?

Learn more about how diamonds can be grown in laboratory conditions using intense heat and pressure to perfectly replicate nature’s process.

Find out more about laboratory grown diamonds

Domande frequenti

FAQ sulle 4C del diamante

Che cosa sono le 4C?

Ogni diamante differisce lievemente dall’altro e presenta caratteristiche distintive. I nostri diamanti creati in laboratorio sono diamanti al 100% e, proprio come i diamanti estratti in miniera, vengono classificati secondo le 4C per la valutazione di qualità del diamante. Le 4C sono le abbreviazioni di color (colore), clarity (purezza), cut (taglio) e carat weight (peso in carati) e rappresentano gli standard universalmente riconosciuti per valutare la qualità di un diamante.

La purezza del diamante è importante?

A un maggiore grado di purezza corrispondono minori inclusioni o imperfezioni del diamante. Questo conferisce al diamante una qualità superiore rispetto ad un altro diamante di grado inferiore.

Qual è la massima purezza del diamante?

La purezza del diamante è una valutazione della perfezione della pietra classificata in base alla visibilità di due tipi di caratteristiche: inclusioni e imperfezioni.

Per valutarne la purezza, il diamante viene esaminato con una lente di ingrandimento 10x. Il numero e la natura di caratteristiche esterne (imperfezioni) e interne (inclusioni), nonché la loro dimensione e posizione, determinano il grado di purezza.

I gemmologi classificano i diamanti dal grado di qualità più alta, Internally Flawless (IF, privo di inclusioni), al grado Included (I3, incluso).

I diamanti creati in laboratorio sono di qualità ineccepibile?

No, quasi tutti i diamanti (estratti o creati in laboratorio) presentano inclusioni. Nei diamanti di laboratorio possono verificarsi inclusioni metalliche. Se un esperto individua una traccia di metallo in un diamante, può presumere che sia stato creato in laboratorio. Sebbene esistano diamanti artificiali che presentano difetti, Swarovski utilizza esclusivamente quelli di alta qualità e certificati dall’Istituto Gemmologico Internazionale (IGI) secondo le 4C, in modo da garantire che solo diamanti della migliore qualità siano inclusi nelle collezioni Swarovski Created Diamonds.

I diamanti creati in laboratorio diventano opachi?

No, i diamanti creati in laboratorio non si opacizzano col tempo. Sono identici al 100% ai diamanti con le stesse proprietà fisiche e chimiche e non si degradano e non cambiano aspetto nel tempo. Se sono stati utilizzati semi di diamante di scarsa qualità, alcuni diamanti di laboratorio presentano difetti evidenti, come sfumature di colore dovute a impurità nel diamante o imperfezioni strutturali del cristallo. I diamanti creati in laboratorio elaborati nei gioielli Swarovski Created Diamonds soddisfano u o standard di qualità molto elevato e non presentano caratteristiche innaturali e problematiche.

Come vengono certificati e classificati i diamanti creati in laboratorio?

The laboratory grown diamonds processed in Swarovski Created Diamonds jewelry are hand-selected and examined by experienced gemologists to ensure they fulfill our high quality standards. Every piece of jewelry in the Galaxy and Eternity collections is accompanied with a digital laboratory report from the International Gemological Institute (IGI).

What are diamond facets?

Diamond facets refer to each flat surface that creates the shape of a diamond. Every diamond possesses multiple facets that enable it to absorb and reflect light.

How is diamond cut quality determined?

We often think of a diamond’s cut as shape (round, heart, oval, marquise, pear), but what diamond cut actually does mean is how well a diamond’s facets interact with light. The cut of a diamond is the measure of the quality of the shape, geometry and finish of the diamond. Round brilliant diamonds receive a formal cut grade on a scale from Ideal (the best) to Poor. Swarovski is uncompromising on cut quality to ensure all of our laboratory grown diamonds have optimal light performance and sparkle.

What is the best diamond cut?

Cut refers to how a diamond’s facets interact with light to reveal its internal fire. It is the cut that gives each diamond its personality, and perfecting laboratory grown diamonds proportions, symmetry, and precision-cut angles of Swarovski Created Diamonds gives them their brilliant shine. The best cut has a balance between the width and depth to create symmetry, neither to shallow nor to deep. Creating the perfect refraction point for light through the diamond, reflecting it within the diamond and highlighting its polished brightness.

How is a diamond’s color determined?

Color refers to the natural tint inherent in white diamonds. The industry standard for grading color is to evaluate each diamond against a master set then assign a letter grade from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow).
The closer the diamond is to being colorless, the higher its quality.

Do laboratory created diamonds have blemishes?

Where poor quality diamond seeds have been used, some laboratory-grown diamonds contain obvious defects, such as color tinges from impurities or structural imperfections. Swarovski does not sell laboratory grown diamonds with unnatural, problematic characteristics.

What is diamond carat weight?

A carat is a unit of weight used specifically to measure precious stones including laboratory grown diamonds. A diamond may have a higher carat weight without appearing larger, and two diamonds of the same carat weight can vary in size if one is cut deeper than the other. One carat weighs 1/5 of a gram and is divided into 100 points.

What is the carat weight of a diamond, how is it measured and how important is it?

Carat weight it the standard weight unit for diamonds, and the first step in the grading process. Diamond carat weight is the measurement of how much the diamond weighs. Each carat can be subdivided into 100 “points.” This allows precise measurements to the hundredth decimal place. The weight of a diamond smaller than one carat may be described by its “points” alone. The larger the diamond is, the more carats it will be, but only you can decide how important that is to you.

Is it better to have a higher carat diamond?

This is an entirely personal question. If you are looking for a larger diamond, you should look for a higher carat, as this indicates the weight and therefore the size of the diamond.