The Pursuit of Beauty
De Beers Forevermark goes beyond the standard 4Cs to select those that are among the finest and most beautiful diamonds in the world.
This selection process largely takes place at the De Beers Group Institute of Diamonds. The De Beers Group Institute of Diamonds benefits from being part of De Beers Group, which has over 130 years of diamond expertise. At the De Beers Group Institute of Diamonds, diamonds are assessed not only against the standard 4Cs, but also against a number of other criteria that can have a significant effect upon the beauty of a diamond.
We sometimes see two diamonds with the same high grades for clarity, cut or colour and select one while rejecting another, as it does not have the brilliance that a truly beautiful diamond should have.
That's what makes a De Beers Forevermark diamond so special and different from any other diamond, whatever a grading report might say about its 4Cs.
De Beers Forevermark selects truly beautiful diamonds based on three key criteria that go beyond the 4Cs:
- The rough diamond itself must be of superior quality even before it is cut and polished.
- Once a diamond arrives at the De Beers Group Institute of Diamonds to be evaluated, the diamond’s polish must have a high degree of transparency to reflect and refract light.
- The diamond’s cut must be precise enough to result in both outstanding symmetry and durability.
These aspects affect a diamond’s beauty, but not all criteria are included in a standard grading report.
Selection Begins with the Rough
Selection Begins with the Rough
All of our rough diamonds must come from approved sources that meet the De Beers Forevermark standards for responsible sourcing. Once this is confirmed, the rough diamond is examined for its inherent qualities; only rough diamonds of superior quality are eligible for De Beers Forevermark.
Before they are cut and polished, eligible rough diamonds must be assessed by an Authorized De Beers Forevermark Diamantaire for anything that will affect the diamond’s ability to reflect or refract light.
Flaws such as large inclusions, and any cloudiness or haziness in appearance will in turn affect the cut and polished diamond’s brilliance. Therefore, these diamonds are not accepted for De Beers Forevermark. While all of these features may not affect a diamond's clarity on grading report, De Beers Forevermark sees them as limitations to beauty.
In addition, if there are flaws inherent in the rough diamond, such as evidence of large inclusions or clouds, the passage of light could be obstructed, compromising its brilliance and beauty.
Diamonds exhibiting these qualities are not accepted to become De Beers Forevermark.
Even diamonds that meet De Beers Forevermark’s minimum clarity grading standard (Slightly Included) yet have clarity features that are visible to the unaided eye, will be rejected.
Striving for Excellence
A Diamond's Polish
De Beers Forevermark selects Diamantaires who are among the world’s leading diamond cutters and polishers to craft De Beers Forevermark diamonds.
Their expertise and ability to meet De Beers Forevermark’s exacting standards of polish, symmetry and proportions result in a De Beers Forevermark diamond being cut and polished to magnify its beauty and brilliance, not to maximise its carat weight.
Once a diamond is cut and polished it is sent to the De Beers Group Institute of Diamonds for further analysis. When it first arrives it is tested to ensure that it is natural and untreated. Then, each diamond undergoes a deep analysis of quality of the cutting and polishing of the diamond to ensure its polish has a high degree of transparency—its ability to reflect and refract light. The transparency of a diamond is not covered within a standard 4Cs grading report.
When checking the polish of the diamond, we reject diamonds that have been forced on the polishing wheel against their natural direction, burning the diamond, which may affect its transparency and ability to reflect light.
Similarly, lasers used in diamond polishing can accidentally damage the diamond. Any penetrative laser hole, however small, is grounds for rejection. De Beers Forevermark demands a mirror-like polished table.
Nothing less will suffice for maximum beauty, but also to accept and hold the De Beers Forevermark inscription.
The Precision of the Cut
A Diamond’S Symmetry, Strength and Durability
De Beers Forevermark excludes diamonds that may have durability issues. Those cut with a shallow crown or steep pavilion are rejected, as those diamonds are vulnerable to abrasions, chipping and breakage. These features are not verified within a standard 4Cs grading report.
Similarly, a diamond with a girdle that is too thick or too thin is rejected as it affects the diamond’s symmetry and diminishes its overall beauty.
Additionally, a standard 4Cs grading report only includes a cut grade for round diamonds, as there are no universally agreed, standardized cut grades for fancy shape diamonds. However, De Beers Forevermark has developed our own criteria for fancy shapes, and we evaluate diamonds against these standards to ensure they are truly beautiful.
Only those diamonds that meet all the fundamental steps of our rigorous selection process earn the De Beers Forevermark inscription, which consists of the exclusive De Beers Forevermark icon and a unique identification number.
The inscription is a symbol of the De Beers Forevermark promise that we go beyond the 4Cs to select only the most beautiful diamonds.