FAQs / Glossary

FAQs Glossary

Why do I need to look beyond "the 4Cs"? Aren’t "the 4Cs" the industry standard?	"The 4Cs" represent important basic gemological identification information that every prospective buyer should possess. However, they primarily describe a stone’s rarity, not its optical beauty. A diamond’s light return efficiency, light performance, light flow architecture, and optical symmetry are all key in determining its overall beauty. Perfection in these areas is what makes a Solasfera diamond outshine all others.

How are Solasfera diamonds different?	Solasfera diamonds capture, move, and return light unlike any other diamond in the world. These innovations are built on a new understanding of light dynamics, cutting-edge optical engineering, and advanced cutting techniques. The results are patented diamond cut designs that maximize beauty. Solasfera signifies only those diamonds with the highest optical quality and best light performance in the world. Unlike any other diamonds in the marketplace, our diamonds must pass a battery of stringent optical and light performance tests before they earn the right to be marketed as Solasfera. A Solasfera diamond is unique in the way its facets are arranged. The traditional round brilliant cut diamond is based on an arrangement of 58 facets which, even when cut perfectly, does not produce light performance equal to a Solasfera. Solasfera’s facets have been meticulously designed and expertly cut to capture and return all light, leading to off-the-charts brilliance and sparkle. Solasfera diamonds are hand cut by only a select group of master craftsmen, whose exceptional skill allows them to meet Solasfera’s exacting standards of workmanship. Each Solasfera diamond is individually evaluated according to a rigorous battery of light performance tests before earning the Solasfera mark, a standard of quality that is unique to Solasfera.

What makes Solasfera different from other branded diamonds with extra facets?	Solasfera’s revolutionary light performance isn’t simply due to having extra facets: it’s a result of a breakthrough design approach, applying engineering principles to dictate the precise arrangement of 91 facets for the brilliant round cut and 81 for the princess cut. Simply adding more facets will not guarantee better light performance. In fact, it can lead to distortion and poor contrast brilliance. The number of facets in a Solasfera diamond is just one of the many characteristics that leads to its unique luminosity.

What shapes does Solasfera come in?	As of now, Solasfera offers the world’s most radiant round and princess shaped white diamonds. We are currently working to capture the same level of brilliance in other shapes.

How can you see a Solasfera diamond’s unique light flow?	It’s easy: simply look at the diamond from above, and you’ll observe the perfect contrast between facets. You’ll also see Solasfera’s perfectly uniform distribution of sparkle, free from dark spots and sharper and more brilliant than generic diamonds.

Will my fiancée see the difference between a Solasfera diamond and other diamonds?	Solasfera’s off-the-charts brilliance is visible to the naked eye, even in dim lighting. We encourage you to visit your nearest Solasfera retailer for a side-by-side comparison to experience the difference for yourself.

Do you provide any supporting documentation with the purchase of a Solasfera diamond?	Every Solasfera diamond is accompanied by a gemological diamond grading report from GIA or IGI, a light performance analysis report from GemEx, and a summary certificate which captures the traditional "4Cs" grading requirements, proportion measurements, and empirical measurements of your diamond.

Bezel facets	Kite-shaped facets on the crown of a brilliant-cut stone

Bleaching effect	The phenomenon wherein a diamond appears whiter than its actual body color due to its brilliance

Brilliance	The term used to describe the white light reflected and refracted in a diamond

Constrast brilliance	The way a diamond sparkles in colored light, white light, and dim light

Crown	The upper portion of a diamond, above the girdle

Culet	The tiny facets on a diamond's pointed bottom

Dead spot	An area that appears dark and lifeless, most often found in traditional 58-facet diamonds

Facets	A polished diamond's planar surfaces

Fire	The term used to describe the colored light reflected and refracted in a diamond

Girdle	The narrow rim that separates a diamond's crown from its pavilion

Harmonization of returned light	The choreography of light reflected within a diamond to create perfect symmetry and beauty

Inclusions	Impurities embedded in a diamond during its formation

Internal chromatic dispersion	Dispersion of light at the facet junctions within a diamond

Internal light path	The path of light inside a diamond, the length of which determines the amount of reflection

Internal light reflection	The ability of a diamond to reflect light back into itself to create more sparkle, white light, and colored light

Internal reflectors	Facets designed not only to reflect light out of the diamond but also to reflect it back into the diamond, creating more sparkle, white light, and colored light

Light dynamics	The way light interacts with various environments

Light flow architecture	The symmetry and pattern of light issuing from a diamond; see also Symmetry of returned light

Light leakage	Light lost through a diamond's pavilion, impairing its brilliance

Light performance	A quantifiable measure of the way light interacts with a diamond

Optical engineering	The study of engineering as applied to optics, which deals with the behavior and properties of light

Optical efficiency	The ability for a surface, such as a facet, not only to capture and enhance light but also to maximize its return

Quantum glow	The beautiful glow emitted by a Solasfera diamond when placed upside down

Pavilion	The lower portion of a diamond, below its girdle

Radiant star facets	The combination of ten star facets only found on a Solasfera diamond

Retention of light	The ability of a diamond to capture and hold light until the most opportune moment of return, maximizing its brilliance

Scintillation	The term used to describe a diamond's sparkle

Sfera Flame symmetry pattern	The bottom view of a Solasfera round diamond, when seen through a Hearts & Arrows viewer (patent pending)

Sola Star symmetry pattern	The top view of a Solasfera round diamond, when seen through a Hearts & Arrows viewer (patent pending)

Spectrophotometry	The proven science of measuring color and light

Symmetry of returned light	The pattern of light that issues from a diamond; See also Light flow architecture.

Table	A diamond's large, flat top facet

Thruster main facets	The combination of ten thruster facets only found on a Solasfera diamond

Triple crown facets	A section of the diamond's upper crown made up of three facets

Triple internal reflector facets	The combination of three upper pavilion facets only found on a Solasfera diamond

Please contact us at customerservice@solasfera.com with any additional questions.