Diamonds FAQ
We welcome any questions that you may have. Please feel free to email or contact us in any way so that we can help you on your way to buying something special. We will endeavour to answer within 48 hours and, if relevant, we may feature your question within this section of our site. We look forward to hearing from you.
How is a diamond formed?
Diamonds are formed deep within the Earth’s crust, 150km below the surface. They are formed by incredible pressure which transforms pure carbon into diamonds.
What are the four C’s?
The four C’s stand for Carat, Colour, Clarity and Cut. These are the standards by which diamonds are graded and priced. Please see our Diamond Characteristics page for more information
Which of the four C’s is the most important?
It is generally accepted that ‘Cut’ is the most important characteristic. This is because even if a diamond has perfect colour and clarity a poor cut will dull its brilliance and sparkle.
There is great skill involved in cutting a diamond. It is often done by hand. The time involved and the skill required to cut to such precision is greatly respected and a very specialist skill.
Why is a round diamond called a ‘round brilliant cut diamond’?
The round brilliant cut diamond is the most popular cut shape for diamonds. It has been given this name because it has been cut to maximise the brilliance (sparkle) of the diamond. It has 58 facets, 33 on the crown and 25 on the pavilion.
How many styles of cut are there?
There are essentially three styles of cut; the brilliant cut, the step cut and the mixed cut (a combination of brilliant and step cuts).
What shapes of diamond are there?
There many shapes of diamond. Diamonds are cut into various shapes to accentuate the characteristics of fire and brilliance.
Diamonds that are cut in the brilliant style are the round, pear, oval and princess (square). These diamonds are also often called fancy shaped diamonds,
Other cuts such as the asscher and emerald cut are stepped cuts. The asscher is a square shape with precise stepped cuts. The emerald cut is a rectangular shape. This ‘stepped’ style of cutting ensures the diamond can be viewed deep into the heart.
A radiant cut diamond has a rectangular / square shape to it and is classed as a mixed cut as it combines the qualities of a brilliant style cut with that of a stepped cut.
What is the difference between ‘Fire’ and ‘Brilliance’ in a diamond?
Fire is the coloured light reflected from within a diamond. White light entering a stone is separated into the many colours of the rainbow just like a prism. Good fire can only be achieved with very good to excellent proportions when cut.
Brilliance is when white light is reflected up through the top of a diamond. Cutting a diamond to the correct proportions increases the reflection of light from the facets and maximizes the brilliance.
What size of diamond is best?
When buying a piece of diamond jewellery for a lady always take into account her style. Emerald cut stones suit tall elegant ladies whilst round brilliant cuts suit all styles and are stunningly beautiful. Do not hesitate to ask us for our professional opinion
Can a diamond be damaged?
Diamonds are recognised as being the hardest known substance on earth (10 on Mohs scale). A diamond can only be cut or polished by another diamond. Diamonds are resistant to heat and pressure, however an extremely hard blow to a diamond can cause it to be chipped. This is a very rare occurrence and only happens when a diamond is hit on a cleavage line within the crystal.
Diamonds are acknowledged as being timeless.
Do diamonds get dirty?
Once a diamond is cleaved from its original crystal and then cut the internal and external qualities and characteristics cannot change.
A diamond can become dirty on its surface facets from activities such as swimming and cleaning. The qualities and characteristics of the diamond will be totally unaffected
How do I clean my diamonds?
The best way to clean your diamonds is to do it by hand using washing up liquid and a soft brush to loosen dirt. The sparkle of the diamond will soon reappear. We would recommend that diamonds are cleaned professionally once a year and the security of the setting is checked.
How should I store my diamond jewellery?
We would recommend that all diamond jewellery is stored separately. If two pieces are kept in the same place then they might scratch each other, so we believe it is best to place each item in a soft cloth pouch when not being worn.
If I do not see the diamond I want, are others available?
We have access to the oldest diamond dealers in the world so the possibilities are endless. All stones will be of an exceptional quality. We will not sacrifice our reputation with the sale of a lower quality diamond. Please contact us using the details provided to discuss your enquiry further.
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