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HOW TO BUY THE BEST QUALITY DIAMOND RING FOR YOUR BUDGET
Buying a diamond often signals a joyous milestone in life. Engagements, anniversaries and births are often celebrated with gift giving and you'll want to have as much information up your sleeve as possible before making that all-important purchase.
Our heritage of diamond expertise and workmanship spans over 150 years and diamond craft and integrity lies at the heart of our business. This guide will not only help you understand the organic nature and beauty of a diamond, it will help you to choose the best quality and style while maximising your budget.
CHOOSE AN ESTABLISHED JEWELLER
The best sign of a jeweller's reputation is the number of years they've been in business. As with any other industry, only successful ones survive so a long career is an excellent sign and with an established jeweller comes piece of mind, service and after sales care.
SET A BUDGET AND DO YOUR RESEARCH
It's all too easy to spend more than you had intended on a diamond ring, but if you set a budget and allow yourself time to research and a cooling off period to ensure that you are comfortable with your spend, you will get the right ring for you at a price you're happy with.
Researching before you buy is key here and an established jeweller will give you all the advice and time you need to feel comfortable and informed about your important final purchase.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A CLASSIC DIAMOND
There is no right or wrong answer when buying a diamond, it all depends on what you want to focus on, for example if you value stone size, you may decide to compromise on colour and clarity and many prefer to focus on size.
A classic or traditional diamond is considered to be a 'white' stone, although they can be many colours including pink and yellow.
Each diamond has a DNA of its own, no two look the same, they all have unique characteristics, inclusions and blemishes which are really nature's birthmarks and rarely visible to the naked eye.
There are important characteristics to understand when buying a diamond, these include the 4Cs, a standard measurement in grading a diamond. Each of these will have an impact on the price and quality of the diamond you are buying.
GET TO KNOW THE 4CS
The 4Cs are the four prime factors used to value a diamond. The closer a classic white diamond is to colourless, the more desirable it is and the closer to 'flawless' the higher the value.
Cut: The most important of the 4Cs because it determines how much appeal the stone has. Cut refers to the way a rough stone is transformed into the final polished diamond by an experienced cutter with facets cut into the stone to enhance the way it interacts with light to maximise the diamond's sparkle and brilliance.
Diamond shape can be confused with the cut, however shape refers to the contour of the stone and cut determines how well the shape is executed. The term "cut" describes to the way light is reflected throughout the stone through its various facets.
If diamond size is all important to you, consider a halo or pear shape that will give you the biggest look. While a round brilliant-cut diamond is popular because it will undoubtedly give incredible brilliance, it can look smaller than diamonds in other shapes. Ring settings and designs will also make the diamond appear larger and can elevate the stone(s).
Colour: The second and most important characteristic conversely refers to a diamond's lack of colour, the less colour the higher the value, quality or grade. Colour ranges from D- colourless to Z- light yellow.
Clarity: This is all about imperfections or flaws which are often difficult to detect with the naked eye they are so microscopic. The fewer visible inclusions and blemishes a diamond has, the better the clarity and the rarer and more valuable it is.
Carat: The measure of weight for a diamond is known as carat, this refers to the total physical weight of the stone rather than the size or shape.
THESE ARE THE MOST POPULAR STONE SETTINGS
Bezel: This ring setting has a metal lip completely surrounding the stone with the added advantage of protecting the stone against scratches.
Cathedral Setting: Cathedral rings are an incredibly graceful way to set a solitaire style. Straight, flat shoulders cover the lower part of the crown. This style is named after the elegance of a cathedral with its high architectural arches and has the added benefit of enhancing the concept of the size of the stone.
Halo: A halo setting is a cluster of stones around a central stone, elevating the prominence and size of the central stone.
The best advice is to look at various cuts and styles with different settings and to get a unique ring that you or your loved one will treasure for years to come.
RING DESIGNS
Cluster ring: Multiple diamonds are set closely together giving a larger look.
Single stone solitaires: Solitaire means single diamond and this is a very classic choice. Many also now come with side designs or side set stones to enhance the design to a more modern look.
Bridal sets: These are engagement rings with a diamond set wedding band designed to fit together and purchased together.
The best advice is to look at various cuts and styles with different settings and to get a unique ring that you or your loved one will treasure for years to come.