Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, so the saying goes, and this has never been truer than in 2012 with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee coming up. So why not snag a diamond of your very own from your local independent jeweller? Here’s the important four ‘C’s’ of diamond buying, giving you everything you need to know about these super-sparkly stones:
Cut
In terms of bespoke pieces of jewellery, cut is one of the most important factors to consider. Your local independent jeweller will be able to advise on the various cuts of diamonds available, with the most popular shapes being round brilliant (circular), oval, pear shaped, emerald cut (rectangular) and the very-apt-for-a-Royal-Jubilee-celebration ‘princess’ cut (square). But if you’re after something slightly more unusual, why not speak to a local jewellery shop about one of the more unique cuts? These cuts include marquise cut (an elongated oval shape with pointed ends), heart shaped, trilliant (triangular) and cushion cut (rectangular but with rounded corners).
Clarity
The clarity of a diamond refers to the amount of internal defects within the stone, or inclusions as they’re called. Only those with a higher clarity grading are fit for a princess, of course, but be warned that the less inclusions a diamond has, the rarer they become and the higher the price! But fret not, your local independent jeweller will be able to advise on the clarity of your diamond, and find one to suit your price range.
Colour
The finest quality of diamonds when it comes to colour grading are those which are totally colourless. Most diamonds, however, show a trace of some colour – mainly a hint of yellow, but some also show brown, green, grey or other colours. There are also some intensely rare diamonds which have a stronger colour; these are called ‘fancies’ and come in a range of hues such as yellow, greens, brown, red, orange and blue. Colourless diamonds are great if you’re looking to combine them with another stone, so why not ask your local jeweller to incorporate colourless diamonds as part of a bigger design?
Carat
The carat refers to the weight of diamond mass. As you would expect, the larger the carat, the more expensive the diamond becomes. Whether you’re after a real chunk of bling on your finger, or delicate, smaller diamonds set in pendants or earrings, your local independent jeweller will be able to fulfil all of your diamond needs. You’ll be wearing diamonds fit for a queen before you know it!
