MAHNOOR Diamonds

A diamond you understand.

Find your balance of brilliance, size and budget. Start with the essentials, then explore the details that matter to you.

Explore the four Cs
Illustrative faceted diamond in side view
The individual stone matters more than a single grade.

Real diamond. Different origin.

Lab-grown and natural diamonds have essentially the same chemical, physical and optical properties. One grows in a laboratory; the other forms in the earth.

Supplied comparison illustration of lab-grown and natural diamonds
Both are real diamonds with essentially the same material properties. “Identical in every way” in this artwork is not literal: individual clarity and light performance vary, and specialist laboratories can identify origin.

Why choose lab-grown?

Typically lower prices than comparable natural diamonds can leave more room for the size, colour, clarity or setting you want.

What stays important?

Cut, proportions and the characteristics of the individual stone determine its appearance. Neither origin guarantees a more beautiful diamond.

Can a tester identify where a diamond came from?

Basic tester

Material screening is not proof of origin. Both lab-grown and natural diamonds can register as diamond on a thermal-conductivity tester.

Specialist laboratory

Advanced instruments examine growth-related features and spectra to distinguish natural from laboratory-grown diamonds.

Lab-grown diamonds are not cubic zirconia or moissanite. Those are different materials. Your report identifies your diamond’s origin.

How GIA identifies diamond origin
Read the GIA explanation

Colour. Find your shade.

D is colourless. Warmth becomes more apparent toward Z. Explore the groups to understand the difference.

Schematic diamond colour comparison

The highest colour grade

D sits at the top of the normal colour scale. Colourless under controlled grading conditions, it is a choice for those who prioritise the highest colour grade. Cut, clarity and proportions still determine the complete picture.

Styling exaggerates subtle D–F differences for explanation; all three grades are colourless. The brighter D illustration is not a promise of greater brilliance—cut and lighting also matter. Not calibrated samples; a screen cannot establish a diamond’s grade.

Which colour should I choose?

D is the highest grade for absence of colour, not automatically the best purchase for everyone. Shape, size, lighting and metal colour affect appearance. Fancy-coloured diamonds use a different grading approach.

The GIA colour scale

Clarity. Look a little closer.

Clarity describes internal inclusions and surface blemishes, assessed by a skilled grader at 10× magnification.

VS1

Very slightly included

Minor inclusions that are difficult to see at 10×.

A small crystal inside the stone. VS1 is a high clarity grade, not the highest.

Enlarged teaching diagrams. Features are deliberately exaggerated to make differences visible on a phone. They are not actual stones, exact 10× views or grading templates. Size, location, nature, relief and number all matter, not just the number of marks.

Is a higher grade always visibly better?

Not necessarily. FL is the highest grade; I3 is the lowest in this scale. A higher grade may not look different without magnification. “Eye-clean” describes appearance, not a formal grade. Inspect the actual stone and its report.

Clarity grading explained by GIA

Cut. Follow the light.

Shape is the outline. Cut concerns proportions, symmetry and polish, and how they influence the diamond’s light performance.

Balanced proportions

Light can return toward the viewer. Proportions, symmetry and polish all contribute.

Simplified light-path diagrams, not ray-traced simulations or cut-grade assessments.

What makes an Excellent cut?

For standard round brilliants, Excellent is the highest GIA overall cut grade. It considers light performance, design and craftsmanship—not one perfect angle or symmetry alone. Read the grading laboratory’s own scale on your report.

Brightness

White light returned to your eye.

Fire

Flashes of spectral colour.

Scintillation

Light-and-dark sparkle as the stone moves.

Symmetry & polish

Facet alignment and surface finish, each graded separately.

Excellent cut, Excellent polish and Excellent symmetry are separate assessments, often called “triple Excellent”. A diagram cannot certify them.

Understanding cut grades
  1. Excellent
  2. Very Good
  3. Good
  4. Fair
  5. Poor

This scale applies to standard round brilliant diamonds in the normal colour range. Fancy shapes are not all assigned the same overall cut grade. Brilliance, fire and scintillation should be considered together.

GIA’s guide to cut

Carat. Weight, not width.

Explore relative sizes from half a carat to four carats. One carat equals 0.2 grams.

0.5 carat relative size illustration
0.5 ct
1 carat relative size illustration
1 ct
1.5 carat relative size illustration
1.5 ct
2 carat relative size illustration
2 ct
2.5 carat relative size illustration
2.5 ct
3 carat relative size illustration
3 ct
3.5 carat relative size illustration
3.5 ct
4 carat relative size illustration
4 ct
1 ct · 0.20 grams

Widths follow a single cube-root-of-weight scale for similarly proportioned stones, not actual screen size. Real dimensions depend on shape and cut. At similar proportions, 4 ct is about 26% wider than 2 ct—not twice as wide.

Why can equal carat weights look different?

Shape and proportions affect a diamond’s face-up size. Compare millimetre measurements as well as carat weight. Carat (ct) measures diamond weight; karat (k), such as 18k, describes gold purity.

Understanding carat weight

Your priorities, in balance.

Tell us the appearance you love and your budget. We’ll help you consider size, cut, colour and clarity together.

Request a design appointment

Prices vary by stone and market. Neither origin guarantees future resale value; laboratory-grown origin alone does not establish a lower environmental impact.

Confidence in every detail.

Your gold, your diamond and the documents that connect them to your piece.

BIS concept artwork, not an issued certificate
BIS · Illustrative artwork
HUID concept artwork, not an issued certificate
HUID · Illustrative artwork
IGI concept artwork, not an issued certificate
IGI · Illustrative artwork

Example documents and markings—not verification evidence. Actual HUIDs have six alphanumeric characters. Review your own report and hallmark before delivery.

BIS

Hallmarked gold

The hallmark identifies gold purity. Your article carries the BIS mark, purity in caratage and fineness, and its HUID.

Understand the hallmark
HUID

An identity you can check

Six alphanumeric characters identify the hallmarked article. Enter the actual code in “Verify HUID” in the BIS Care app.

BIS Care verification
IGI

Your diamond’s individual report

Every solitaire comes with its own IGI report. Smaller diamonds have supporting certification, reviewed for your specific piece.

Verify your IGI report
Is personal engraving the same as hallmarking?

No. Optional initials, a date or a message are personal touches. They do not replace the official hallmark, HUID or diamond grading report.

Let’s create something personal.

Bring an idea, a photograph or a sketch.
We’ll help you shape the details.

A minimum of three weeks. Complex designs may take longer.
Collect in Mysore, or arrange delivery. Charges apply outside Mysore.

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MAHNOOR Diamonds

Your idea, our starting point

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