Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ

1. What does the word “treatment” mean with reference to fancy colour diamonds?

It’s best to avoid treated stones (to enhance or change colour), and stay with natural colours. That being said, you should be aware of the 
type of treatment techniques that can be found on the market today.

1. HPHT – an irradiation technique that combines high pressure and temperature – this technique is used to produce yellow, pink, brown and blue diamonds. 
2. Heat Treatment – used to create black diamonds - usually used for low quality diamonds.
3. Infusion Technique – a non-permanent colour that penetrates into the stone.

2. What is colour origin – does it have something to do with rough or polished diamonds?

When it comes to being secure about the colour origin of the fancy colours that you buy from me, I would like to reassure you that I only buy natural fancy colour rough diamonds; and, because of the expertise that I have developed – and actually my passion for NATURAL fancy colours, I can take responsibility for all aspects of the buying, cutting and polishing process, and, therefore, guarantee that the colour of all the diamonds that we deal with is a NATURAL colour formed deep within the core of the earth.

3. When it comes to the certification, why is Natural the most important word on the grading report?

Diamond grading report sample

Click on the image to enlarge

You might ask why I think the word ‘natural’ is so important when it comes to describing the colour of the diamond.

There are a number of reasons, but nowhere is it more important than on the certificate, the grading report, that comes with the diamond.

	It’s really for your protection and a matter of confidence with reference to fancy colours.
	Because the word NATURAL with reference to colour is the important factor when determining the value of the colour of the diamond.
	The certificate is the best proof that you will have that the diamond has not undergone any type of treatment to enhance the colour.
	Natural fancy colour diamonds are rare in nature and are found in a limited number of mines around the world.
	Their price is significantly influenced by a number of factors including the density and hue of the colour.

4. What is personal branding? Are you a family business?

Why Seren?

There are lot of very prominent companies (not only in the diamond business) that are known worldwide under their family names.

Their names have become brands indeed! These brands also had a beginning and their stories of success have been always encouraging me. I've been cherishing this idea (since I was very young) and of course when it came to business, I had no doubt about it.

Today, in the diamond business, the name Seren is associated with complete trust and reliability. First of all, we are very accurate about the stones that are coming to our stock. All our suppliers know that in case the stone (rough) purchased from them doesn't get "Natural colour origin" (for any reason) after it has been polished and graded by the GIA, it will be returned to the supplier.

In this way, we can pass on the same secure feeling to our customers as they know that we are taking full responsibility for the origin of our goods!

When it comes to Seren Diamond – everyone (in the business) knows that we are one of the top sources for the most amazing and rare natural fancy colour diamonds on the market today.

When it first came to branding our company, it was very important for us to emphasize the concept that all of our diamonds are natural (because a number of new techniques to enhance colours or make coloured diamonds that were being developed - that were becoming increasingly harder to distinguish from the natural stones- unless you had the expertise and experience of dealing with natural fancy colours that we have); therefore, we decided to guarantee the colour origin and take responsibility for the diamonds we cut and polish.

Pipeline integrity is a priority for Seren Diamonds

And that is this idea that stands behind our company’s motto as well – "Natural Colour from Depths of Nature"!

5. How are fancy colour diamonds graded?

Natural Fancy Coloured diamonds are graded based on the following criterion:
Hue: yellow, orange, brown, blue, green and red
Colour hue is the dominant colour of the stone
Intensity: intense, vivid, etc. 
Usually, the higher the intensity is – the more rare and more expensive diamond is.

Colour Tone applies to how much the stone is dark or light, it can be graded from dark to very dark, from light to very light.
When grading natural fancy colour diamonds, the GIA uses nine grade categories:
1.Faint 
2.Very Light 
3.Light 
4.Fancy Light 
5.Fancy 
6.Fancy Dark 
7.Fancy Deep 
8.Fancy Intense 
9.Fancy Vivid

6. What is the primary colour in the stone?

When natural fancy coloured diamonds are graded, they can be given a grading that consists of a hue and a tint, for e.g. Fancy Intense Bluish Green that means that the colour intensity is intense, the main colour is green, but it has a touch of blue. If the stone is graded as Fancy Intense Blue Green, which means that the presence of blue is stronger (than bluish), but still the main colour is green 
Here are the most common colour variations:

	Yellow (Light Yellow (W-X, Y-Z), Fancy Light Yellow, Fancy Yellow, Fancy Dark Yellow, Fancy Deep Yellow, Fancy Deep Brownish Yellow, Fancy Dark Brownish Yellow, Fancy Dark Brown Yellow, Fancy Intense Yellow, Fancy Intense Greenish Yellow, Fancy Intense Green Yellow, Fancy Vivid Yellow)
	Brown (Light Brown, Fancy Light Brown, Fancy Brown, Fancy Pinkish Brown, Fancy Pink Brown, Fancy Orangey Brown, Fancy Deep Orangey Brown, Fancy Dark Brown, Fancy Deep Brown, Fancy Deep Yellowish Brown, Fancy Dark Yellowish Brown, Fancy Dark Yellow Brown, Fancy Dark Yellowish Greenish Brown )
	Gray (Light Grey, Fancy Light Grey, Fancy Grey, Fancy Dark Grey, Fancy Blue Grey, Fancy Bluish Grey, Fancy Green Grey, Fancy Greenish Grey, Fancy Dark Violet Grey, Fancy Purplish Grey, Fancy Greenish Yellowish Grey, Fancy Greenish  Yellow Grey)
	Chameleon (Fancy Green Yellow, Fancy Greenish Yellow, Fancy Deep Green Yellow, Fancy Deep Greenish Yellow, Fancy Deep Brownish Greenish Yellow, Fancy Deep Brownish Green Yellow, Fancy Brown Greenish Yellow, Fancy Greyish Yellow Green, Fancy Greyish Yellowish Green, Fancy Deep Greyish Yellow Green, Fancy Deep Greyish Yellowish Green, Fancy Deep Greenish Yellow, Fancy Greyish Greenish Yellow, Fancy Greyish Green Yellow)
	Pink (Light Pink, Very Light Pink, Fancy Light Pink, Fancy Light Purple Pink, Fancy Light Purplish Pink, Fancy Purplish Pink, Fancy Purple Pink, Fancy Orangey Pink, Fancy Orange Pink, Fancy Intense Orangey Pink, Fancy Brownish Pink, Fancy Brown Pink, Fancy Intense Pink, Fancy Deep Pink, Fancy Deep Brownish Pink, Fancy Dark Brown Pink, Fancy Dark Brownish Pink, Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink, Fancy Vivid Pink)
	Orange (Faint Orange, Fancy Light Orange, Fancy Orange, Fancy Yellow Orange, Fancy Yellowish Orange, Fancy Intense Orange, Fancy Intense Yellowish Orange, Fancy Brown Orange, Fancy Brownish Orange, Fancy Pinkish Orange, Fancy Pink Orange, Fancy Intense Pinkish Orange, Fancy Intense Pink Orange, Fancy Deep Orange, Fancy Vivid Orange, Fancy Vivid Yellowish orange, Fancy Vivid Yellow Orange, Fancy Vivid Pink Orange, Fancy Vivid Pinkish Orange)
	Blue (Light Blue, Very Light Blue, Fancy Light Blue, Fancy Deep Blue, Fancy Greenish Blue, Fancy Intense Blue, Fancy Dark Blue, Fancy Deep Greyish Blue, Fancy Greyish Blue, Fancy Intense Greyish Blue, Fancy Intense Greenish Blue, Fancy Vivid Blue)
	Green (Light Green, Very Light Green, Fancy Light Green, Fancy Green, Fancy Bluish Green, Fancy Green Blue, Fancy Light Greenish Yellow, Fancy Deep Yellowish Green, Fancy Dark Yellowish Green, Fancy Dark Gray Green, Fancy Dark Greyish Green, Fancy Yellowish Green, Fancy Intense Green, Fancy Intense Yellow Green, Fancy Intense Yellowish Green, Fancy Vivid Green)
	Red (Fancy Purplish Red)

7. What is the WFDB Mark and why was it important for you to put it on your internet site?

I think that it is actually about consumer confidence, even though it is a trademark within the diamond industry and jewellery trade, because it is a symbol that includes text that indicates that it is individual, and it belongs to a registered WFDB bourse member, and it features the member’s registration number.

The WFDB Mark includes a brief slogan, listing the 3 elements that members of the jewellery trade should be reminded of when they see the WFDB Mark: Tradition, Integrity and Accountability.

The WFDB Mark is a trademarked logo, which approved members of World Federation of Diamond Bourse-affiliated diamond exchanges are able to display to clients and suppliers, to confirm that they abide by the World Federation Code of Principles. A bourse member is able to display the WFDB Mark as long as he or she is in good standing.

The WFDB Mark is brand that will set bourse members apart by indicating that they belong to a WFDB diamond exchange. Like any brand, the WFDB Mark has to promise something that the client is looking for. In this case, we are talking about tradition, integrity and accountability, which together provide clients with confidence in the bourse members’ businesses and in the products they sell.

The World Federation’s Code of Principles, or WFCOP, is a set of better business principles, similar to those being promulgated by the DTC and other organizations. The WFDB has been debating the various ethical issues for many years, and for just as long has been formulating policies to ensure that members of its bourses operate within an ethical framework. Issues addressed include HPHT treatments, conflict diamonds, synthetic diamonds, child labour, health conditions in the workplace, disclosure and non-disclosure, fracture filling, laser drilling, and the removal of laser inscriptions from a girdle. The WFCOP is a stand-alone document that clearly lists the conclusions drawn from the various relevant resolutions passed by the WFDB.

What sets the WFDB’s Code of Principles apart from the others in the industry is the fact that for the use only of members of WFDB diamond exchanges, it is one of only a handful of ethical business systems that can be properly monitored and audited. Indeed, while a number of organizations have introduced sets of Best Business Principles, almost none have managed the more difficult task of creating systems for auditing, monitoring and enforcement. The WFDB has had such a system in operation for years. Every one of its affiliated bourses has a judicial system in place, and decisions taken at one bourse can be enforced in all its sister bourses.