The 4 C’s of Diamonds

Diamond shapes | About Diamonds | The 4 C’s | Certification | Diamond Sizes

Foreword

We realise that we do not offer as much individual selection options for our diamonds as a few other websites.  The reason for this is that we feel it can be a little daunting to try and understand, digest and act upon all the information and options unless you are a diamond expert. Some of our customers really enjoy this and we can work together to find the desired diamond but some of our customers prefer our simplifed version and are happy for us to do the leg work.  Either way by following these steps you can't go wrong:

Diamonds should be selected in this priority:

1.  Diamond Carat Weight (choose from the drop-down)

Kind of obvious!  This determines the size of the diamond and is usually set by budget.

2.  Diamond Colour (choose from the drop-down)

Other than size this is the most obvious diamond characterist noticeable to the naked and untrained eye.

3.  Diamond Clarity (choose from the drop-down)

Diamonds need to be studied close up or by using a jeweller's loupe to notice any inclusions in the diamonds we sell as we do not offer 'PK' diamonds with very noticeable inclusions to the naked eye.

4.  Diamond Certification (choose from the drop-down)

We have two options.  The reason we offer certificated diamonds is for your peace of mind.  You will have an independent certificate confirming your diamond's characterists.  Choose from our premium certificates or our standard certfcate by EGL.  Our premium certificates are more expensive as these labs have slightly more stringent grading standards (so in effect you are getting a higher colour/clarity than selected hence the price difference) however if you are unsure our standard certifcate by EGL is perfectly fine particularly when you consider that most HIgh Street jewellers do not even offer independtly certificated diamonds at all and charge up to 80% more than us!

5.  Cut, Polish, Symmetry (we do this bit for you and do not sell 'Poor' or 'Fair')

We only sell diamonds with a minimum of 'Good' in each of these category's and therefore feel that it is not necessary for us to offer selection by these options individually on our website.  Our trained diamond experts do this bit for you ensuring you get the best possible diamond available for the price paid.

If you'd still like to know more than read on!

The 4 C's of Diamonds

The 4 Cs will help you when choosing diamond jewellery, especially if you are buying a diamond engagement ring.  It is the combination of these characteristics which determine the value, rarity and beauty of your diamond.  These pages are here for your guidance as it can seem a little confusing when purchasing diamonds however, we only sell white diamonds without inclusions visible to the naked eye and with a minimum of good cut, polish and symmetry.  All our diamond over 0.30ct come with an independent certificate confirming the diamond characteristics for your total peace of mind.

Diamond Colour

Whilst most diamonds appear colourless, many actually contain subtle shades of yellow or brown. The closer a diamond is to having no colour, the more valuable it becomes.  Diamonds with a ‘D’ colour grade have the least colour with the scale going all the way to ‘Z’ which means the diamond will have a light yellow colour.

We offer diamonds on the scale from ‘D’ to ‘I’ all of which are considered white in colour but have very subtle differences which can take years of experience and training to appreciate.

Diamond Clarity

This refers to the inclusions a diamond may have.  An inclusion is a naturally occurring mineral or fracture within the diamond.  These are usually invisible to the naked eye and the fewer inclusions in the diamond, the greater the clarity and the more value it has.

Diamond Carat

A diamond's carat is a measure of its weight, not its size. Larger carat weights are rare and valuable. However, two diamonds with the same carat weight can have very different values depending on their colour, clarity and cut.

Diamond Cut

Cut refers to the angles and proportions created when transforming a rough diamond into a polished diamond ready to be set in a piece of jewellery. Cut is the only one of the 4C’s that is not naturally created when the diamond is in the earth as they are cut by skilled craftsmen to bring out the very best in a diamond. The skill lies not just in cutting the diamond itself, but also in the proportion, relationship and angles of each of the surfaces, known as facets. The tiny facets are then polished to create the table, crown, girdle, pavilion and culet.