The factors by which diamonds are graded are called the "4C's", which determine a diamond's unique qualities and therefore its price. The 4C's are a very in depth subject, but here we will simply give a brief overview as to what we believe are the most important aspects to consider. By discussing and explaining the 4C's further to our clients, we can determine which diamond is the most suitable.

CUT is not only the shape of a diamond but also the proportions to which it is crafted. These proportions are an important factor in creating a diamond's fire and brilliance. If a diamond is cut incorrectly the maximum amount of light will not be refracted back through the top of the diamond.

We carry three varieties of diamonds. For the more discerning customer we recommend Belgian diamonds (the most reliable source of ideal cut diamonds, excellent and hearts and arrows cut) as they are cut to a very precise proportion creating maximum brilliance and demand a premium price. All larger sized Belgian diamonds are supplied with an internationally recognised certificate to confirm their quality and value.

A "Very Good" cut diamond will be nearly perfect and is the most common choice for high quality without the premium price. In choosing a "Very Good" cut diamond the customer can be assured that no aspect of the diamond is far from ideal standards and that there are no unknown dangers for the customer to be concerned about when purchasing.

"Good" cut diamonds are still a fantastic looking daimond which produce high brillance and are good value. "Good" cut diamonds are often still close to ideal proportions but customers must be cautious. There may be one or two aspects in the quality of the cut that may be well outside ideal standards that can reduce the the worth or appearance of the diamond.

COLOUR is graded through an experienced eye and a standard set of reference stones. Grading is judged on a scale from D-Z.

D-Being completely colourless
Z-Being either brown or yellow

At Diamond Jewellery Consultants we believe colour to be the most important quality of a diamond's brilliance. By choosing a diamond of D-F colour it can make a well cut diamond stand out clearly above the rest. Colours of G and H are still of a fine white appearance and are considered the standard for purchasing a quality diamond. Although when a diamond starts exhibiting favorable colours such as fancy yellow, pink, blue, green and orange these diamonds become very expensive and are very rare.

CLARITY determines the amount of imperfections there are in a diamond. These imperfections are called inclusions and can be either fractures (internal or surface), white or black impurities. Clarity works on a visual scale and is determined only by a certified grader.

IF – Internally flawless, contain no inclusions and are very rare and very expensive.

WS1-2 – very very slight inclusions, are inclusions that are hard to find under a 10-power hand lens unless trained.

VS1-2 – Very slight inclusions, difficult to find under a hand lens.

SI1-3 – Slight inclusions, easily visible under a hand lens but not visible to the naked eye.

P1-2 – Visible inclusions, easily visible to the naked eye.

Clarity determines the greatest variance in price between similar sized diamonds and is the quality that is best to sacrifice. We believe in choosing diamonds from between VS1-S12 as diamonds of these qualities are very acceptable and far from visible and do not push higher than necessary.

CARAT WEIGHT is actual weight and determines the size of your diamond. There are one hundred points in a carat and five carats to a gram.

As the weight of a diamond increase the price of the diamond increases exponentially. This is because the larger the diamond the rarer it is to find a stone of good gem quality.

e.g. 100 x 0.01 ct diamonds are worth considerably less than a single 1 ct diamond.