About Diamonds
A diamond’s grading report can tell you a great deal, but it cannot tell you which one you will love wearing. The way a stone catches the light, its proportions and how it looks on your hand all matter.
At SB Studio in Edmonton, we primarily work with lab-grown diamonds. For clients who prefer a natural diamond, we can also source newly mined or recycled natural options and discuss the sourcing information available. Our role is to help you understand the differences and choose a stone that suits your design, preferences and budget.
What are lab-grown diamonds?
Lab-grown diamonds are diamonds grown in a controlled environment rather than formed underground. They have essentially the same chemical composition, crystal structure and physical and optical properties as natural diamonds. They are different from diamond simulants, such as cubic zirconia or moissanite.
The two main growth methods are high pressure, high temperature (HPHT) and chemical vapour deposition (CVD). Both create diamond crystals that are then cut and polished into finished gemstones. Specialist gemological testing can identify their laboratory-grown origin.
Lab-grown diamonds offer another way to choose a diamond for your ring. As with natural diamonds, their appearance varies, so selecting a beautiful stone involves more than choosing a carat weight.
Our approach to sourcing
Choosing our partners is part of choosing our diamonds. We value partners who can support their work with recognized credentials and provide information about the stones they supply.
Our supply partner holds Responsible Jewellery Council certification, alongside additional third-party certifications and assessments. Independent diamond grading through organizations such as the International Gemological Institute (IGI) helps document a stone’s characteristics and origin.
These serve different purposes. A diamond grading report describes the individual stone, while business and manufacturing certifications address the practices within their particular scope.
Lab-grown diamonds avoid the extraction of a newly mined diamond, but growing, cutting and polishing them still uses energy and resources. Their environmental impact depends on how and where they are produced. We believe those distinctions deserve a clear explanation when you are choosing your ring.
Understanding diamond cut
Cut describes how a diamond has been fashioned: its proportions, facet arrangement and workmanship. These influence how it interacts with light.
Shape describes its outline—round, oval, pear or emerald, for example. Although people often use “cut” when talking about shape, they are not quite the same thing.
We recommend making cut quality a priority. A beautifully cut diamond can have brightness and movement that a larger, poorly cut stone lacks.
Different cutting styles also create different effects. Brilliant-cut stones tend to produce many small flashes of light, while step cuts, such as emerald cuts, create broader reflections and a more open appearance. Neither look is right for everyone. It helps to compare them in person and notice what draws your eye.
Understanding diamond colour
For diamonds in the standard D–Z colour range, the scale describes the presence of yellow or brown colour:
At SB Studio, we often suggest considering F–H diamonds as a starting point. This range includes both colourless and near-colourless grades. We can also source D–E diamonds for clients who prefer a colourless stone.
How much colour you notice depends on the diamond’s size, shape, setting and your own perception. Comparing stones is more useful than assuming a particular letter grade will always look a certain way.
Fancy-coloured diamonds are assessed differently. If you are drawn to a coloured stone, we can discuss fancy-coloured diamonds and other gemstone options for your design.
Understanding diamond clarity
Clarity describes internal characteristics, called inclusions, and surface characteristics, called blemishes. Both natural and lab-grown diamonds can have them.
The standard clarity scale runs from Flawless through Internally Flawless, Very Very Slightly Included, Very Slightly Included, Slightly Included and Included. Grading considers the characteristics’ size, number, position, nature and visibility under magnification.
An “eye-clean” diamond has no inclusions visible to the unaided eye under the viewing conditions being used. It is a description of appearance, rather than a formal clarity grade.
A higher clarity grade is not always a visible improvement. Stone size and cutting style matter, and a characteristic hidden in one diamond may be easier to see in another. We can help you weigh what is visible against what appears only under magnification.
Carat weight and how large a diamond looks
Carat measures weight, not width. One carat equals 0.2 grams.
Two diamonds of the same carat weight can look different in size because their proportions and shapes distribute that weight differently. When comparing stones, consider their millimetre measurements alongside their carat weights.
Try to picture the whole ring, too. Band width, setting style and the stone’s orientation all affect its presence on your hand. A stone does not need to reach a particular carat weight to feel right.
Choosing your diamond with SB Studio
You do not need to arrive knowing your preferred grades or understanding every term. Bring your questions, a few reference images if you have them, and a budget you feel comfortable with.
During a complimentary consultation, we can discuss diamond options alongside the band, metal and setting. The goal is to help you choose a stone you love looking at and a ring you love wearing.
Visit our Edmonton studio to explore your options in person.
Book a complimentary consultation