When you are buying a Diamond, whether it is for an Engagement Ring, Diamond set Jewellery or even just a loose Diamond, it is important to know as much as possible before your purchase. Here at Hester Clarke, we have always been proud of our expert knowledge of Diamonds and Gemstones, and have always believed in teaching our customers as much about their Jewellery purchases as possible. Below we have prepared a short guide that will teach you the basics of Diamond grading, commonly known as "The 4 C's"; Colour, Clarity, Cut & Carat.

If you have any questions about Diamonds or Gemstones, feel free to contact us.

Colour

Colour is graded on an Internationally recognised alphabet scale, from D to Z. Colour absorbs light as it passes through the stone, reducing Brilliance, so the less colour the better. D is the complete absence of colour, a perfectly white Diamond.

Clarity

Diamonds that form naturally take billions of years, so it’s no surprise that they can come with a few imperfections. These can affect the passage of light through the stone. Clarity is determined by the number, visibility and size of these inclusions.

Cut

Cut is a grading of how well a Diamond has been cut. A well cut Diamond reflects light back into the eye of the viewer, giving that famous sparkling brilliance. Cut too deep or too shallow and your Diamond will lose much of its potential sparkle.

Carat

Carat is the unit of weight for Diamonds. 5 Carat is equal to 1 Gram. Larger Diamonds are very rare, which affects the price of a Diamond. A 2 Carat Diamond will not cost twice as much as a 1 Carat Diamond, it will likely be several times the price due to the scarcity of larger stones.