Artifact grades had sub-grades between them known as Arks. There are four Arks, the first three are explained. Dawn, Mesial, and Crest Arks.
To fully explain Arks one must also understand the grade of flames. This is usually determined by the age of the flame and the rate or maturity differed from one flame to the next. Anything from a few months to a few million years. Flames range from, Fledgling, adolescent, and developed, then mature.
It is extremely rare for flames, especially high-grade flames to reach maturity in less than a million or tens of millions of years.
Dawn Arks are forged using Fledging or low-grade flames. Mesial Arks are forged using adolescent or juvenile flames, while Crest Arks are forged using developed flames.
That was oversimplified and didn't include other factors such as the grade of the hammer, Anvil, cultivation of the Artificer, grade of Intent, or any other tools.
