Diamonds, in plain English.

The 4 Cs

Every diamond is graded on four characteristics — cut, colour, clarity and carat. They don't carry equal weight, and the right balance depends on the piece you have in mind. Here's how we think about each one in the boutique.

Cut — the one to spend on

Cut is the only C the cutter controls. A well-cut stone will return more light from the table than a poorly cut stone of higher colour or clarity, and the difference is visible across the room. We will always recommend Excellent or Ideal cut grades for round brilliants and the equivalent proportions for fancy shapes.

Colour — D to Z

Colour grades run from D (completely colourless) down through the alphabet to faint yellow and brown. For white-metal settings (platinum and 18ct white gold) we typically recommend the D–G range; for yellow gold settings, H–J stones face up white and offer noticeably better value.

Clarity — what's in the stone

Clarity grades run from Flawless (FL) through Internally Flawless (IF), VVS1/2, VS1/2, SI1/2 and finally I (included). For most engagement-ring budgets we look for VS2 or SI1 with eye-clean inclusions in non-distracting positions — the stone faces up perfectly to the naked eye at a fraction of the FL price.

Carat — weight, not size

Carat measures weight (one carat = 0.20g). Two stones of identical carat weight can look very different sizes depending on their cut proportions, and prices step up sharply at the half-carat marks (1.00ct, 1.50ct, 2.00ct). Buying a 0.95ct stone instead of a 1.00ct can save several hundred pounds with no visible size difference.

Certification — GIA, IGI and HRD

A diamond certificate is an independent grading report — not a valuation. It confirms what you are actually buying. We deal in three accepted laboratories:

• GIA (Gemological Institute of America) — the original and most rigorous. Our preferred certificate for natural diamonds of 0.50ct and above.
• IGI (International Gemmological Institute) — widely used for lab-grown diamonds and for natural stones below 1.00ct.
• HRD (Hoge Raad voor Diamant) — the Antwerp diamond authority, common on European-cut stones.

Avoid in-store certificates and reports from labs that only the seller uses. A diamond bought without an independent certificate cannot be reliably re-valued, traded in or insured.

Lab-grown vs. natural

Lab-grown diamonds are chemically, physically and optically identical to natural diamonds. They are grown in a controlled environment in a few weeks instead of formed underground over millions of years, and they cost between a quarter and a third of a comparable natural stone. The right answer depends on what you want from the piece.

We sell both. If maximum visible size for a given budget is the priority, lab-grown wins comfortably. If long-term value retention or the stone's origin story matters to you, natural is still the answer. We'll lay the options out side by side so you can compare.

Browse stock by category: engagement rings, solitaires, halo settings and laboratory diamonds.

How we source

We buy direct from cutters in Antwerp and Mumbai, which is why a comparable piece is often 30–50% less than on the high street. Every centre stone above 0.30ct comes with an independent certificate, and we are happy to source specific stones to your spec — book a consultation to discuss exactly what you're looking for.