What's going on in the diamond world? Let's talk about laboratory grown diamonds vs. natural diamonds. Both are true diamonds. A natural diamond is formed deep within the Earth over time, while a lab grown diamond is created in a laboratory with the same chemical, physical, and optical properties. Both are graded with the GIA 4Cs -- The 4Cs are the industry standard for evaluating diamond quality.

COLOR
Diamonds actually come in a variety of hues, from colorless to yellow, gray, brown and nearly every shade of the rainbow. Color is documented based on the GIA D-to-Z Color Scale. From D for colorless to Z for light.

CLARITY
Every diamond is unique. Formed under intense heat and pressure deep within the Earth, diamonds often carry natural birthmarks that make them unique. A diamond’s clarity is determined by the size, number, location, and visibility of these characteristics. Internal features are known as inclusions, while surface features are called blemishes.

CUT
The cut of a diamond is a question of craftsmanship. A diamond's cut refers to how it interacts with light. However, this is not to be confused with "oval" as that is the shape or outline of the diamond. The cut is the overall design of a diamond. Only graded to round brilliant cut diamonds because they are the only cut to have standardized facets.
All other shapes are referred to as fancy shapes, which includes marquise, emerald, pear, oval, hearts and even triangles.

CARAT
Carat measures weight, not size. Diamonds are also measured by length, width, and depth. Remember, the value and quality of a diamond reflects all 4Cs and not just carat weight.