HIDDEN GEMS

WITH ERICA SHARPE

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WHEN people think of diamonds, engagement rings often spring to mind and of course, they remain one of the most popular reasons for a sparkling commission.

But over the years, I’ve found that significant birthdays or milestone anniversaries are just as likely to inspire a customer to create a special piece of jewellery.

‘A 50th birthday or 30th wedding anniversary often marks a time in life when we've already collected the classics and now know exactly what we'd like to treat ourselves to. More and more, my clients are choosing to design one-of-a-kind pieces, and a beautiful diamond is often their first choice.

If you’re considering a diamond, it's worth taking some time to understand what you're really buying and why one stone might differ in value from another. That's where the famous ‘Four Cs’ come in.

‘This universal grading system was developed in the 1930s by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and is now used globally to assess a diamond's quality and value.

1. Colour

‘The most valuable diamonds are completely colourless. The GIA colour scale runs from D (the most colourless and rare) to Z (where colour becomes really obvious). A diamond’s colour can be hard to detect without experience, but it has a significant effect on price. Most diamonds tend to show a very slight yellow or brown tone to varying degrees.

2. Cut