The diamond is something of beauty and elegance. It is a truly romantic gift which literally outshines all others. A symbol of your lasting, eternal love, there is also something charmingly intimate about buying a diamond.
The diamond you choose for your engagement ring can seem a daunting prospect. Undoubtedly, something which means so much needs to be perfect. Therefore, at Bejouled, we want to help you fully understand the diamond and find the right one for you.
History of the diamond
The diamond is the most beautiful, natural substance in the world. Diamonds are crystals made of carbon atoms exposed to intense pressure and heat over many millions of years. Existing deep in the ground, the first diamond deposits were brought to the earth’s surface over two billion years ago by volcano-like explosions. Even the most recent of these diamond deposits are at least 50 million years old. When found in their raw form, diamonds are ‘rough’. It is the cutting and polishing of the substance creating the stunning gemstone we know today.
The 4 c's
Once polished into its finest finished form, a diamond is evaluated for its exquisite beauty and qualities. These qualities are measured against 4 main categories: the ‘4 c’s’. These are the Colour, Clarity, Carat and Cut of the diamond. So that you fully understand your diamonds, we will explain these 4 C’s in more detail.
Bejouled have extensive knowledge, as well as 25 years’ experience in diamonds. Therefore, we are diamond specialists and can assist in finding perfect stone for you. We recommend the diamond best suited to your style and budget. Furthermore, we will explain differences in diamonds which are not immediately visible to the naked eye.
Colour
Naturally, diamonds vary in colour. The most colourless designs are seen as the most rare, unique, and expensive. The diamond color evaluation of most gem-quality diamonds is based on the absence of color. A chemically pure and structurally perfect diamond has no hue, like a drop of pure water, and consequently, a higher value. Used by many, the Gemological Institute of America, or GIA’s, D-to-Z diamond color-grading system measures the degree of colorlessness by comparing a stone under controlled lighting and precise viewing conditions to masterstones stones of established color value. On this scale, diamond colour is graded from D, which has the least colour, through the alphabet to Z, which has a light yellow appearance. Truly colourless diamonds (D) are treasured for their rarity.
Clarity
The beauty of a diamond is inarguable, each stone as unique as a human fingerprint. Different diamonds bring different imperfections, which are classed as inclusions – internal flaws – making the diamond look cloudy, and blemishes – external marks – such as scratches. Inclusions can affect the sparkle and brilliance of a diamond, lessening the light’s ability to bounce off the stone. These inclusions can be minute and invisible to the naked eye; it really is exceedingly rare to have perfect clarity in a diamond and many inclusions may be hidden by the ring’s mount. The inclusions of each diamond are ranked on a scale of their perfection and flawlessness, with the fewer flaws a diamond has equaling to a greater clarity, therefore making it more valuable. We can advise you on which diamond is most suited to you and the clarity you are looking for by using the GIA scale, like the colour scale, to grade your dream diamond’s clarity. This scale runs through various stages, from the best being FL and IF (flawless and internally flawless) to the lowest level of clarity being I 1-3 (inclusions which may be visible to the naked eye).
Carat
Carat has long been considered by many to be the main deciding factor in determining the diamond’s value, however the other 3 c’s must be taken into account as carat does not solely affect this. Carat simply refers to the diamond’s weight, not the size with a carat weighing 200 milligrams of 1/5th of a gram. One carat is split into 100 points of a diamond, therefore half a carat equals to 50 points, a quarter of a carat is 25 points and so on. With this in mind, carat does not reflect the size of the diamond, a common misconception among people when buying a diamond. Two diamonds of the exact same clarity can have a completely different value if the other 3 c’s are very different from diamond to diamond.
Cut
‘The cut’ transforms a diamond from its roughest form to the stone we know and love. Cut is simply the proportion and finish of a diamond, with well cut and proportioned polished facets of a diamond giving the best use of light which reflect off one another and really show the diamond’s true brilliance. Like the other 3 c’s, diamonds can be cut completely different from stone to stone, with proportion, symmetry and the polish of a diamond determining the quality and value. Poorer cut diamonds will not make full use of the light, allowing it to escape the stone and thus losing the sparkle. The cut features three main factors; the brilliance (the light which is reflected from the diamond), the fire (the spectrum of colours which is brought out by the light) and the scintillation (the flashes of sparkle and light when the diamond is moved). Bejouled can assist in recommending the best diamond cut for your desired look.
Lab grown diamonds
Bejouled Ltd has made progress in becoming a more sustainable independent jewellery manufacturer. In 2019, we have added the option of lab grown diamonds for all of our bespoke made pieces. Lab grown diamonds are authentic diamonds however they have been grown in a lab. This makes them an ethical option when designing your bespoke piece.
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The perfect diamond for you
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