Diamond

The cut is the only one of the four that depends on the hand of the cutter, and the one that most affects the visual result, because it determines how the stone returns light. An excellent cut makes a diamond look larger and livelier than a heavier, poorly cut one. Colour in the G-H range already reads as white to the naked eye once the stone is set, and paying for a D is usually invisible money. Clarity from VS upwards shows no inclusions without a ten-power loupe. Carat weight is the last thing worth maximising, because the price does not rise in a straight line: there are sharp jumps right at the round weights, such as 0.50 and 1.00 ct.

Our collection includes diamonds from 0.15 ct in solitaires up to pieces of more than one carat, as well as groups of smaller stones whose weight is given as a total (1.27 ct in a bracelet, for example). Both are legitimate, but they are not comparable in price per carat: one large stone is exponentially rarer than many small ones adding up to the same weight. Always ask us for the breakdown before comparing two rings.