The 4Cs have long been the accepted standard for grading the rarity and value of diamonds. Yet diamond grading is an imprecise art, subject to the natural inconsistencies of the human eye when observing extremely fine differences in diamond color, and the location and appearance of inclusions, which form the basis for the clarity grade. The Sarine Technology Lab is the world’s first lab to provide automated 4Cs grading, based on advanced technologies, driven by artificial intelligence, enabling objective, reliable diamond grading that reaches unprecedented levels of consistency.
Carat is a weight unit used to measure diamonds and gemstones. It was formally adopted in 1907 at the Fourth General Conference on Weights & Measures in France, and soon spread across the globe as the internationally recognized standard.
Carat weight is a unit of mass equivalent to 0.2 grams. A 1 carat diamond weighs 0.2 grams (200 milligrams). Smaller diamonds are often measured in carat points. There are 100 points in every carat. A 10-point diamond weighs one-tenth of a carat, or 0.02 grams. As a general rule, larger diamonds are more expensive than smaller diamonds. However, diamond pricing is affected by all 4Cs, so a smaller diamond of higher Clarity and Color, or a small superbly cut diamond, may be priced higher than a larger, lesser quality diamond.
With the advert of technology into every part of life, it is no surprise that technology is also now an integral part of diamond grading. In fact, Cut grading was revolutionized in 1992 with the introduction of our DiaMension® to the market. It was the first solutionin the world to provide automated and computerized measurement of a diamond’s proportions – the most critical aspect affecting its Cut grade. DiaMension® changed the way that polished diamonds are assigned their Cut grade, enabling levels of accuracy never before seen or achieved.
Clarity grading has traditionally been determined by a gemologist who examines the diamond through a loupe (jeweler’s magnifying glass) and grades the diamond by comparing it to a Clarity grading scale.
Sarine Clarity was developed to bring the same revolutionary changes to Clarity grading as DiaMension® did to Cut grading. Based on comprehensive computerized mapping of the diamond’s inclusions and blemishes, Sarine provides an automated Clarity grading capability that is accurate and non-biased.
In developing this technology, our research included intensive studies of assorted polished diamonds by a team of gemologists, followed by a much larger sample of diamonds to obtain deeper information about Clarity measurement. After iterative trials and examinations, a Clarity grading algorithm was developed, which formed the foundation for the creation of a dependable Clarity grading system.
Fully computerized, the Clarity grading process is no longer dependent on possibly flawed subjective human perception. Our automated Clarity grading also enables diamond producers to sort the diamonds into sub-categories according to pre-defined Clarity grading criteria, so each diamond can be targeted for its ideal market.
In colorless (so called “white”) diamonds, minor color variances, which are often all but indistinct to the eye, can make a big difference when it comes to the diamond’s value in the retail market.
Traditionally, diamonds are color graded by trained gemologists in gem labs. These gemologists lay the diamonds on a white paper, under controlled light conditions and then strive to manually compare the diamonds to a master set of diamonds.
Color grading that relies on the gemologist’s eye is obviously prone to inconsistency. This is due to the subjective nature of human perception. Errors margins in manual Color grading are noted not just between different gemologists, but between different work sessions of the same gemologist. The way to overcome this is via standardized reliable technology-based Color grading that demonstrates consistent accuracy rates that surpass those achieved by manual Color grading.
