Diamonds are assessed for their quality based on the 4C’s. For Avila Vara, we include two additional “C’s” - Culture and Care.
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In essence these factors are either material or method. Diamond colour and clarity are elemental and intrinsic, whereas diamond cut and carat are execution and precision. Colour and clarity define a diamond’s overall potential beauty, and carat is a unit of weight that measures the harmony in dimension and size of a finished diamond.
For us, we include an additional 5th and 6'th "C", "Culture" and "Care". These "C's" are intrinsic value components to the diamonds we select for our jewellery. For us, these qualities are more than conceptual, they redefine the value of a diamond as something that is as pure on a humanitarian and environmental level as it is perfect in calibre, value and desirability.
Diamonds are either assessed for their quality based on how colourless, or 'white' they appear, or, in the case of fancy-coloured diamonds, how rare and fashionable a certain colour is. For the majority of fine diamond jewellery, a diamond is considered the most desirable and of the highest quality with a colour assessed as colourless or near colourless (D-F typically). The lighter in colour the diamond, the more lustrous the light interplay is and the more it essentially 'glows' from within. In Avila Vara creations, our pieces feature dazzlingly white diamonds, and their accompanying certifications are always D-G in colour.
A diamond's clarity defines the purity of the diamond itself. The most desirable diamonds have no imperfections (referred to as "inclusions") visible without intense magnification, or no imperfections whatsoever. The fewer imperfections, the clearer a diamond will look overall, and the fewer the imperfections, the better the cut will be able to maximise the colour of the stone and the way light refracts creating that quintessential diamond sparkle. Avila Vara diamonds are extraordinarily pure and carry a grading of Faultless to VS1 (VS1 means "very slightly included", with inclusions being imperceptible to the naked eye).
The carat defines a gemstone's relevant weight and size, in accordance with ideal dimensions of perfectly cut diamonds. The word references actual carob seeds, which are so uniform in size, that they were, once very long ago, used to establish the norm of weight for diamonds in relation to their size and cut. The carat of a diamond is literally the way in which its size and weight is measured, and the more perfect the symbiosis between size and weight, the rarer and more desirable the diamond. Avila Vara jewellery features diamonds which have an idealised symmetry between carat and cut, whereby the equivalency is as close to perfect as possible.
Exceptional diamonds are always exceptionally cut. It is the cut of the diamond that brings forth its' vibrancy and "life". Precision is key as is the optimal assessment of the originating diamond's qualities (i.e. the colour, clarity and potential carat). Avila Vara diamonds maximise the delightful shimmer and brilliance of each diamond for sparkle and life in each design. The diamonds in Avila Vara collections are "Excellent" and "Hearts & Arrows" cut. This means optimal quality diamonds are chosen which are then cut and polished to create the most scintillating jewellery.
The cut is what defines this beauty and harmony and makes a diamond so captivating. Stunning diamonds are always superbly cut to optimise light balance, reveal a diamond’s inherent lustre and depth, and maximise a diamond’s extraordinary brilliance. The cut is that dancing interplay, that incandescent shimmer and quintessential sparkle characteristic of the highest quality diamonds. The cut is what makes a diamond ‘come to life’.
There is a new ideology of worth nurtured in our luxury sector, that of value in choices that are earth and people positive. Diamonds and heirloom quality jewellery are often thought to be ‘priceless’ because their origin and stories contain history and identity. Similarly, diamonds that possess an origin that is mindful of the environment and to the people involved in their creation and ownership possess an intrinsic value that goes far beyond their physical attributes.
The most exquisite diamonds are more than just chemical composition and perfection in cut, they promise minimal impact on our ecosystem and on human beings. Responsible sourcing, ethical treatment, and sustainable, environmental practices in the creation and jewellery application are part of their monetary worth. People mean something, the planet means something. For us, we champion the use and support of diamonds that represent care. Certified and ethical, Avila Vara diamonds foster values that support and nurture, offering not only beauty, but purity of intention and creation for the people and the planet.
Sustainability is the heart of what we strive for. Our mantra is based on ideals and pragmatism in tandem with luxury and beauty.
Memories of my local coffee shop... A strange place to spark discussion on the subject. But what is sustainability if not sentimentality?