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.

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 advise the best cut for your budget.

Colour — D to Z

Colour grades run from D (completely colourless) down through the alphabet, from faint champagnes to cinnamon and coffee colours. We can advise the best colour of diamond to suit your preferred metal and finished design.

Clarity — what's in the stone

Clarity grades run from Flawless (FL) and Internally Flawless (IF), through VVS1/2, VS1/2, SI1/2 and finally I (included). For most engagement rings, we stock VS2 or SI1 clarity diamonds, providing lower to higher graded clarities to your preferences.

Carat — weight, not size

Carat measures weight of the stone on the diamond scales, rather than specifying the dimensions of the stone. Two stones of identical carat weight can look very different sizes depending on their cut proportions.

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 visually identical to natural diamonds. They are grown in a controlled environment over a few weeks instead of formed underground over millions of years. The right choice 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 lab grown diamonds.

How we source

We buy direct from our trusted diamond suppliers, including both certified and non-certified stones. This allows us to offer a larger range of stones to suit all budgets and tastes. Know exactly what you're looking for? We are happy to source specific stones to your spec — book a consultation to discuss exactly what you have in mind.