Cut

The cut of a diamond refers to how it has been shaped and faceted, influencing its sparkle, brilliance, and overall beauty. An expertly cut diamond captures and reflects light through carefully arranged facets, creating an enchanting display of brightness, fire (colourful reflections), and scintillation (sparkle). The quality of a diamond's cut, determined by its symmetry, polish, and facet arrangement, maximises the stone’s unique visual appeal.

Colour

In white diamonds, colour actually refers to the absence of colour. Diamonds are graded by GIA on a scale from D (completely colourless) to Z (noticeable yellow or brown tint). Special diamond-specific lighting is used by professionals to accurately determine a diamond’s colour. It’s important to note that a diamond’s colour appearance can also be influenced by factors like its cut, carat weight, and shape.

Clarity

Natural diamonds formed under extreme heat and pressure deep within the earth, often resulting in natural clarity characteristics or birthmarks. These inclusions (internal features) and blemishes (external features) can occur as tiny crystals or structural imperfections within the stone, visible primarily under magnification. A diamond's clarity grade, assessed based on the size, location, visibility, and number of these characteristics, significantly influences its overall value and appeal.

Carat

Carat weight, often the most recognised characteristic of diamonds, measures how much a diamond weighs. One carat equals 200 milligrams (0.2 grams) and is divided into 100 points, allowing for precise measurement to two decimal places. It's important to note that two diamonds of the same carat weight can differ visually due to their shape and cut.