Diamond Guide (The 4 C's)

   

We recognise the purchase of your diamond is an important emotional occasion, and believe in making it special for you.

In order to help you make the right choice, we freely offer our experience and expertise so you fully understand all the individual factors which combine to affect both the appearance and cost.

As diamond specialists we are very selective about the elements of quality that visually matter and cherry-pick for our customers, only those stones that have the “wow” factor and also represent excellent value. In addition rest assured that our stones are ethically sourced.

All diamonds are beautiful and unique. Each has its own incredible journey before transforming into the alluring polished gemstone we all know and love. Diamonds are the hardest and most durable of all gemstones and therefore a favourable choice for everyday wear. 

All diamonds share certain characteristics that allow us to compare their wonderful appearance and provide that mesmerising sparkle we all seek in a cut diamond.

These characteristics are called the 4 C's - Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat.

 

CUT

Whatever your choice of cut, your diamond will be dazzling. Our trusted suppliers hand select only the finest of stones displaying ideal symmetry, proportions and polish. The quality of cut greatly affects the brilliance of a diamond and is essential in creating optimum sparkle by capturing and refracting light.

 

COLOUR

Diamonds are graded from ‘D’ (colourless) to ‘Z’ (tinted). Colour grades are determined by comparing each diamond to a master set in controlled conditions. Each letter grade represents a range of colour and is a measure of how noticeable the colour is. We have a variety of colour examples in our showroom to help you choose the best fit for you.

 

 

 CLARITY

Every diamond is unique. Because diamonds form under tremendous heat and pressure, it is extremely rare to find a diamond that lacks any internal and external birthmarks.  These clarity characteristics are created when small crystals are trapped in the diamond. As they grow, pressure and stress can cause inclusions and blemishes – sometimes only visible under a microscope. 

The clarity of a diamond is based on the size, location, visibility and number of inclusions or blemishes.  

Internal and surface reaching characteristics are called inclusions. External features are called blemishes. 

 

 

CARAT

Carats are the measure of weight in a stone, not size as is often perceived. Therefore diamonds can have the same weight but look different in size. 

The term carat weight comes from carob seeds and has been in use since the 1500s. Early gem traders used to use small uniform seeds to counterweight their scales. Today a carat is a standard milligram measurement of weight, recognized and used globally.

We believe a better quality of diamond is always the best choice, regardless of the weight.