Have you heard of the 4 C’s?

This is a concept developed by the diamond industry to determine the quality of a diamond and in turn its retail value. It helps consumers by creating a point of comparison and easing the process of selecting a diamond. Colour, clarity, cut, and carat weight are often the only factors consumers consider when shopping for the perfect diamond. The 4 C’s are just four of many factors that contribute to the diamond's value.

The 4 C’s are just four of many factors that contribute to the diamond's value.

The 4C’s of Diamond Quality

Colour – The grading for diamond colour is based on the absence of colour. Under controlled and precise conditions, diamonds are compared using GIA’s scale of D (colourless) to Z (light yellow or brown). This grading has no bearing on the performance of your diamond and interestingly, other factors can contribute to making this grading look higher.

Clarity – This is a grading on the characteristics and visibility of the carbon inclusions that form as a diamond grows. The GIA’s scale of grading clarity ranges from Flawless to I3. However, it is incredibly rare to find a diamond that lacks any internal and external characteristics. At Thea, we take time to help you select the perfect diamond that fits your specific criteria.

Cut – The cut grade is entirely separate from the diamond shape. GIA grades this from excellent to poor. Although round brilliant cut diamonds can achieve a triple excellent grade, fancy cuts can only achieve double excellent grades. This is the most important of the 4 C’s as it increases the overall light performance of your diamond.

Carat Weight – This is often mistaken as the size of the diamond; however, carat weight refers solely to the diamond's physical weight. Therefore, you can get two 1ct diamonds that look different as they are different in diameter. The diamond's cut grade will help determine this and will certainly be taken into consideration when shopping with Thea!

Beyond the 4C’s

Buying based only on the above is simply not enough. Knowledge is power and being prepared and well researched is so important to maximise your budget and ensure you are purchasing the best quality diamond. You will often see price variations among diamonds when basing your purchase solely on the 4 C’s as well as variations in light performance and optical brilliance. This is because there are many other factors that contribute to the diamonds value and the diamonds overall light performance.

When shopping with Thea, we guarantee to take all these factors into consideration in efforts to find you the perfect diamond that fits within your parameters. Remember, there are many factors that are not on a diamond certificate but are just as important. We will educate you on these in depth when you arrive for your consultation, get in touch with one of our experts today.

Book your appointment today to begin Your Thea Journey.

Are you looking to purchase a Diamond Engagement Ring for that special someone in your life?

Or perhaps you want to spoil yourself and add some stunning new earrings to your collection; after all, diamonds are a girl’s best friend.

When you think of an engagement ring, you often think of the sparkly diamond that catches your eye at first glance. Traditionally, for hundreds of years, diamonds have been mined from the earth’s crust from places all over the world, predominantly in countries like Canada, Botswana, Russia or South Africa. As technology grows and evolves for many industries, jewellery has also been able to benefit from its expansion.

Today, there is more than just one way to source diamonds. These diamonds are known as lab-grown. Lab-grown diamonds are exactly what they sound like; diamonds that are manufactured in a highly controlled lab environment using advanced technological processes, rather than ethically mined from the earth.

Lab-grown diamonds have the same physical characteristics as ethically diamonds and illuminate the same sparkle but are much more sustainable, with an almost-zero carbon footprint.

Whether purchasing ethically mined or lab-grown diamonds, the significance is not characterised by the shape or size, nor is it characterised by the price or where the diamond is sourced. The true significance of the diamond you choose is the love and story it represents between you and the special person in your life.

WHY CHOOSE LAB GROWN DIAMONDS OVER ETHICALLY MINED DIAMONDS?

While ethically mined diamonds have been available for hundreds of years, lab-grown diamonds are growing in popularity for a number of reasons. These include:

• Customisable shape and size
• Beautiful and timeless cut
• Every Woman deserves a BIG Diamond
• The price can be up to 70% less than a natural diamond
• Ethical and environmental sustainability

When purchasing ethically mined, earth-mined diamonds, the diamond is often handled by more than 20 people by the time it reaches the jeweller. With lab diamonds, this process is much more narrow, meaning very few people are involved in the process of the manufacturing and handling of the diamond before it reaches you.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS OF LAB GROWN DIAMONDS

Ethically made

Thea believes in ethical practices, and the process of creating lab-grown diamonds does not require any unethical practices, which is an important factor for many customers when purchasing diamonds.

Greater purity and improved quality

TypeIIA is the purest form of diamond known to man, this is due to the low amount of nitrogen in the diamond. Because of the nature of precise and advanced technology, lab-grown diamonds obtain the same chemical composition and molecular structure as mined diamonds, creating extremely high-quality pieces of precious jewellery.

Affordable diamonds in various colours

While colourless diamonds are the most popular, lab-grown diamonds are also available in different colours including blue and pink diamonds.

What are lab-grown diamonds?

Diamonds that are grown in a lab from a perfect TypeIIA seed unlike the ethically mined diamond which creates itself through natural geological process and is mined by humans.

Are lab created diamonds real or fake?

Every CVD TypeIIA diamond will pass as real diamonds. HPHT diamonds on the other hand don’t always pass as diamonds. All diamonds above 0.30ct sold come with either IGI or GCAL certificates. They are also inscribed with “LG” on the girdle for transparency and disclosure.

How are lab diamonds created?

CVD TypeIIA diamonds come from a perfect TypeIIA diamond seed. HPHT are created by using a metal catalyst (carbon).

Can Thea Create a Ring If I Supply the Diamond?

No. Thea offers everything as a package. This is so there is no compromising on our standards and quality of our workmanship.

What’s the Difference between Mined and Lab Created Diamonds?

The biggest difference between the two is the cost. The cost of lab-grown diamonds can be up to 70% less than a natural diamond. Unless using sophisticated and high-class technology, no human will be able to tell the difference between the two. That is why it is important to check with your jeweller if the diamonds are mined or lab-grown.

How long do lab-grown diamonds take to create?

The process to grow a lab-grown diamond is usually 7 weeks. It takes approximately 1.5 weeks to cut a diamond. The entire process usually takes about 9 weeks.

Every person has a unique story and gives us the opportunity to create special pieces of jewellery. It is our pleasure to welcome you as a valued customer. Book a private consultation with one of our experts about our local and international collection, or chat to our team of specialists about using lab-grown diamonds in your precious new jewellery pieces.