Diamond Quality Evaluation Before You Buy Diamond Jewellery
If you want to start assessing diamond quality before you buy diamond jewellery, you'll need to study and comprehend the 4 C's, which are four aspects of the quality of a diamond that, taken together, determine its total value and price. Colour, clarity, carats, and cut are the four Cs used to assess diamond quality.
The 4Cs of diamond quality were devised by the Gemological Institute of America as a way to standardise the assessment of the quality of a diamond. Today the 4Cs are used universally in the jewellery industry to describe a diamond. There is, however, a gotcha, a sting in the tail.
There are many companies and laboratories that claim to provide diamond grading reports, but although the terms they use might be the same (with minor variations), they often lack consistency. This means that a diamond described as being of one grade by one lab might be given a different grade by another. The GIA as the originator of the 4Cs grading system, keeps the highest standards of accuracy and consistency. At All Diamond, whenever we provide a diamond grading report, the GIA will prepare it.
Diamond Colour Evaluation
Most diamonds are regarded as excellent if they are colourless or clear. The costliest gems are colourless diamonds. Diamond colours are graded using an alphabetic grading system that begins with "D" and concludes with "Z." Colourless diamonds are graded "D" and "E," whereas diamonds with a noticeable yellow or brown cast are graded "Y" and "Z" at the opposite end of the alphabet.
At All Diamond, most of our diamonds are graded G, which is a sweet spot for colour and value. This grade gives a diamond that, apart from experts using a colourimeter and specialised lighting, nobody is likely to notice any colour cast at all.
When it comes to determining diamond quality based on colour, jewellers have two options. They may take out a set of reference stones and assess the diamond's letter grade by finding the closest match between the diamond under examination and the set of reference stones. A colourimeter, which can electronically evaluate the stone’s colour and calculate its grade to within 1/3 of a grade, is another option.
Assessing Diamond Clarity
The clarity of a diamond determines whether it is flawless throughout or has minor defects and foggy spots. Although a diamond with perfect clarity and no imperfections is extremely unusual, most faults in diamonds are not visible to the human eye. They can only be spotted using a magnifying instrument.
When grading the purity of a diamond, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) utilises a magnification of around 10x.
There are treatments available to make a diamond seem prettier than it actually is. The treatments should decrease the overall price of the diamond, so do your homework before buying a diamond to ensure you are not overpaying.
We usually offer diamonds of SI clarity grade. At this level, there should be no visible imperfections within the diamond – unless the stone is examined under high magnification and with an expert eye! Higher clarity grade diamonds cost much more money. Diamonds of lower clarity grade may not cost significantly less money when set in jewellery but may have visible imperfections.
Fancy Set Diamond Tennis Bracelet 5.00ct G/SI in 9k White Gold
£4,106.00
£5,967.00
Dazzling round diamonds set in 9k white gold adorn this fabulous diamond tennis bracelet for her. This UK hallmarked bracelet has a total diamond weight of 5 carats and secures with a clasp. All the diamonds used in this beauty… read more
Carat Weight Evaluation
The term "carat" was used to indicate the size of a diamond gemstone. A carat is the weight equivalent to 200 milligrams. A single diamond with a large carat weight is more costly than numerous stones of the same carat weight. This is because bigger diamonds are far more challenging to come by. For example, if you desire a 2-carat diamond ring, you may choose a half-carat diamond surrounded by lesser diamonds totalling one and a half carats for a total of 2 carats! It's impossible to judge diamond quality by carat weight since various-shaped gemstones and stones with differing clarity levels will be priced differently even if they have the same carat weight.
Because several smaller diamonds are much less costly than the same carat weight single diamond. If you want to buy a large and impressive piece of diamond jewellery, look out for designs using a halo of diamonds around a larger central diamond or designs featuring several small stones in a pave setting. Both can look very impressive with a lot of sparkle for a relatively low cost.
1.00ct Baguette and Round Cut Claw Set Diamond Cross in 18k White Gold
£1,502.00
£2,477.00
This dainty and luxurious cross pendant is a classic piece that offers gorgeous sparkle. With sustainable G/SI quality diamonds in fine white gold, it makes the perfect gift for any special occasion. UK hallmarked and the diamonds used are conflict-free.… read more
Judging A Diamond’s Cut
The cut of a diamond is one of the most important criteria in determining its quality. It's significant because a well-cut diamond will be more dazzling and reflect light more brilliantly, despite the cut having the smallest influence on the diamond's overall price.
The cut of a diamond is the only aspect of a diamond’s quality under the control of the artisans who cut and polish the stone.
Examine the diamond in a well-lit place when determining its quality based on its cut. The diamond has an excellent cut if light seems to enter the stone and bounce back, revealing a brilliant, reflected surface. The angles and forms of a diamond are critical in determining the diamond’s quality and overall look. Although there are many technical aspects to the cut of a diamond, an element that even non-experts may be able to notice is the symmetry of the stone.
A well cut diamond will always have excellent symmetry. If the stone’s proportions look wrong or the symmetry is poor, the light entering the diamond will not be fully reflected back to the viewer’s eyes. This means the diamond will sparkle less and be less brilliant than it should be.
Sapphire & Diamond Tennis Bracelet 2.25ct in 18k White Gold
£1,918.00
£3,557.00
Handcrafted elegance overflows in this stylish sapphire and diamond tennis bracelet. 1.05 carats of sparkling and ethically sourced diamonds are set alongside bright and gleaming sapphires in a rub-over bezel setting on brilliant 18k white gold, which is sure to… read more
All Diamond Takes Care About Diamond Quality
When you buy ready-made diamond jewellery, you can’t choose individual diamonds. Our designers and artisans take care of that for you. That is why we set standards for almost all of our jewellery – so you can be assured of buying diamond jewellery that is both of great value and looks good.
We have a simple way of looking at value: don’t pay for something you cannot see. The idea of having an absolutely flawless diamond is lovely – but in practice, most people cannot tell the difference between a G/SI diamond and a higher-grade stone. Higher graded diamonds cost much more money and are unaffordable for most people. On the other hand, when looking elsewhere, check that they offer you diamonds of similar quality. If the quality is lower, then you may well lose out in terms of sparkle and brilliance and have diamonds that have a slight but noticeable yellow or brown colour.
Claw Set Half Diamond Bangle 2.40ct G/SI Diamond in 18k Yellow Gold
£4,037.00
£7,307.00
Look and feel your best this season by wearing one of these versatile bangle bracelets. This half-diamond design features a simulated white-gold setting and a gleaming 2.40 ct G/SI diamond. A versatile accessory, it can be worn with any outfit… read more
Diamond Jewellery Designed And Handcrafted In The UK
All of our fine diamond jewellery is designed and handcrafted in the UK. Each piece carries a British hallmark that guarantees the purity and quality of the precious metals used.
We would be honoured if you took a little time to browse our collections of diamond jewellery. We are confident that you will find designs that inspire you at great value prices.
You will find our diamond jewellery collections HERE.
