Whether you are selecting or designing an engagement ring with our team or choosing a beautiful gift for a loved one from our wide selection of diamond earrings, diamond necklaces and diamond bracelets, the diamond will be the focal point of each piece.
Here at Robert Gatward Jewellers, we hand-select each and every diamond for the jewellery we create in-house. This is something we are passionate about — especially considering that an engagement ring will often be worn daily for decades.
We personally select our diamonds from those in the highest level of certification by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and the IGI (International Gemological Institute), which means you can rest assured that any diamond you buy from us is beautiful, genuine, and valuable.
In this article, we are taking a look at how to choose a diamond, whatever your jewellery budget. When you shop with us, you only have to choose between highly graded specimens, but you still have a choice to make, and we have something special for everyone.
So, let’s dive right in and explore more about choosing diamonds.
The four Cs
There are four Cs to take into consideration when choosing a diamond — all of which have an impact on the value of the gem and therefore, the cost of the piece of jewellery they are set in.
The four Cs are:
- Cut
- Colour
- Carat
- Clarity
Let’s investigate each in more detail.
Cut
The first C is the cut of the diamond, and this is, arguably, the most important C of the four, as the cut of a diamond directly influences how much (or how little) it sparkles.
So, what is the cut? The cut refers to the shape and angle of the facets of a diamond. For example, are they all well proportioned? Is the gem deep or shallow?
When you are working to a budget, always prioritise the cut and select the best cut grade you can afford. This is because even a diamond with perfect clarity can look dull when poorly cut.
At Robert Gatward Jewellers, we do not sell poorly cut diamonds; but, this is something worth noting if you are buying from elsewhere.
You may have a personal preference for a cut from a style point of view, also — for example, round brilliant cut (a classic that produces an incredible sparkle), baguette cut, or princess cut.
Colour
The GIA grades the colour of diamonds from D (colourless) through to Z (light yellow or brown).
Being hand-selected, the majority of the diamonds we sell are in the D-G bracket, with D being pure and G being near-colourless and, therefore, excellent value for money if you are on a tighter budget.
If your budget doesn’t stretch to a piece featuring a D-graded diamond, an E, F or G diamond would all still be stunning.
Consider the size of your diamond or diamonds, too, when looking at colour — the colour is less noticeable in smaller diamonds and more pronounced in larger ones, such as an impactful solitaire.
Carat
Talking of size, carat is the weight of the diamond — diamonds that look larger tend to be a higher carat.
As smaller diamonds are mined much more frequently than larger ones, the price of larger diamonds is higher.
However, when you consider the other Cs, a diamond can be exquisite, whatever it’s size.
So, think about both your budget and what the recipient of the jewellery would prefer, and take it from there.
Clarity
Clarity refers to the natural imperfections of a diamond — commonly known as inclusions (interior) and blemishes (exterior).
These imperfections are inevitable due to the process in which diamonds are naturally created underground; flawless diamonds are incredibly rare.
It is crucial to note here that, while we talk of inclusions and blemishes, these are often not visible to the naked eye and only make themselves known under magnification.
This is undoubtedly the case for Slightly Included (SI) and Very Slightly Included (VS) grades, which is where you should begin your search if you are working to a budget but wanting an “eye clear” diamond.
Summary
Now you have learned a little about the four Cs; you should feel more prepared to shop for diamonds. Explore our range of diamond engagement rings today or get in touch to discuss a custom order.
If you’d like to know how much you should be spending on an engagement ring, you’ll enjoy our blog article on the topic.