Light Performance

To truly understand your diamond’s visual beauty, you need to understand its Light performance.

Light performance is the measure of your diamond’s interaction with light. It is the most accurate and comprehensive way to determine a diamond’s visual beauty and appeal. No two diamonds have the same light return, so the light performance grade reflects the diamond’s unique story.

When you receive a Sarine light performance grade for your diamond, you are receiving the world’s most reliable, accurate and objective grading of the diamond’s visual beauty, brought to you by Sarine Light™, the leading light performance measurement technology.

What features of the diamond affect its Light performance?

Light performance is affected by the diamond’s natural characteristics, its birthmarks, clarity grade, color grade – and even more, its unique cut.

Cut & Light Performance

A diamond’s cut is determined by the craftsmanship of the polisher. If the diamond is cut too shallow, the light “leaks” out the bottom of the diamond. If the diamond is cut too deep, the light is lost altogether. An optimal cut diamond ensures that the light reflects out through the top of the diamond, allowing its full light performance beauty to shine through.

Clarity, Color & Light Performance

Clarity affects the amount of light returned back out of the diamond, depending on the size, type and location of inclusions and birthmarks.

Lower color grade affects the hue of light returned. A whiter, brighter color grade will enhance a diamond’s light performance.

The Key to Light Performance: Sarine's 4 Parameters

Sarine’s research team has determined that there are four key ways that a diamond interacts with light. The Sarine light performance grade is based on precise, technological analysis of these four parameters:

Brilliance

The intense white light that radiates from the diamond

Fire

The vivid flares of rainbow color that can be seen as light bends within the diamond

Sparkle

The dramatic, luminous flashes of light that occur when a diamond moves

Light Symmetry

The way light is distributed throughout the diamond, based on its unique cut and birthmarks

How does the diamond receive its light performance grade?
In two stages…

Stage 1

The diamond is assigned a measurement grade for each of the four parameters:

Brilliance
Fire
Sparkle
Light Symmetry

The parameters are graded according to 5 levels: Exceptional, Very High, High, Standard, Minimum

 

Stage 2

Then, based on the individual light performance measurements of Brilliance, Fire, Sparkle and Light Symmetry, the diamond is given a total light performance grade. This final grade is an accurate assessment of the beauty and rarity of your diamond, on a scale ranging from Low to Ultimate light performance.

The grades are divided into sub grades using a star system. The more stars, the higher the grade…

 

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