Buy a diamond like a pro
When buying anything for the first time it can begin to look like a mine field. A diamond can be no different unless you receive the right education.
Carat, colour, clarity, cut, symmetry, polish? What’s it all about and what should I prioritise my budget on?
Whilst too much information can be a bad thing, we will try and give you the answers and make the process simple and less stressful for you.
The Four C’s
A diamond is priced by its unique characteristics mainly in these four categories knows as The 4 C’s:-
1. Colour – whiteness of the diamond
2. Clarity – flaws inside the diamond
3. Carat – weight of the diamond
4. Cut – proportions/shape of the diamond
Each attribute has equal bearing to the value of the diamond so in essence, you want a little bit of everything.
No point having a nice white stone if there is a visible black flaw in the middle of stone and equally having a beautifully clean stone if the proportions of the stone are wrong is pointless.
Choose the size
As explained above, whilst every attribute is as important as each, the size (carat) of the diamond is the most visually obvious characteristic.
Size is referred to as carat which is a unit of weight that diamonds and precious stones are weighed in: A carat is divided into 100 points. For example, a 50-point diamond weighs 0.50 carats. To put in perspective, one carat is equal to 0.2 grams, about the same weight as a paperclip.
There is no question, the first thing you notice about a diamond is the size so we would advise having the size of the diamond as one of your priorities.
What is the clarity
The clarity is the impurities/flaws inside the diamond. These marks are inclusions internally inside the stone which can affect the sparkle of the stone.
These birthmarks are the result of carbon being exposed to extremely high heat and pressure from deep in the earth while the diamond is forming. A flawless diamond is considered to have no internal or external marks.
All our diamonds are hand-picked to ensure they are eye clean and any inclusions do not affect the sparkle.
Diamond clarity is graded in five marks:
Why is colour important
The colour of the diamond is determined by the colourlessness: the whiter the diamond, the higher the value.
Diamond colour is graded from D being clear and pure, down to Z which will have a yellow look to it.
All the stones we stock are of a premium quality and range from colour D to G before the diamond starts to show a tinge of yellow.
The colour distinctions between one colour and another are almost invisible to the untrained eye especially with the premium colours from D-G. Fancy coloured diamonds such as yellow diamonds have their own grading chart.
What does the cut bring to the table
The cut of the diamond is the proportions/shape of the stone.
As explained above, every characteristics has a bearing on the overall look and feel to the diamond, no different to every human.
The cut of the stone is vital to ensure the stone will sparkle to its maximum potential. Defeats the point of paying for a beautifully white and clear diamond if the proportions are wrong and don’t allow the diamond to sparkle.
All the diamonds we stock hold a cut rating of excellent, nothing but the best.
What shape should I choose
When choosing a diamond, an important first choice to make is the shape. Every person has a diamond shape preference which does reflect the personality and preferences of the person who will wear the ring.
The classic round diamond is often favoured because of its maximum sparkle and brilliance.
The princess diamond is also popular as it offers the brilliance of a round diamond at a lower price.
Cushion, asschers, and emerald diamonds offer elegance and geometric beauty and are popular among those who are attracted to vintage styles.
Heart shaped diamonds enable the giver and the wearer to express sentiment openly; often favoured by romantics.
Get out of Jail free card
No matter what you decide, because we understand relationships and sometimes we get it wrong, we will offer to change the ring, diamond, design to something they will love – free of charge.
The thing we value most is to have happy customers who enjoy wearing our gorgeous diamonds!
And remember to send your stunning proposal pictures to us so we can add you to our infamous Wall of Fame in our showroom so we can be a part of your story.
