The precious metals used in making our jewellery are gold, platinum and palladium. Where there is only one grade of platinum, gold is sold in different forms including 9k, 14k and 18k gold. The main reason for this is that pure gold is too soft to be used in jewellery, which will be worn on a day-to-day basis.
24k gold is pure gold, with 9k representing 37.5% gold, 14K is 58.5% gold and 18k is 75% gold, with silver, copper, zinc and other metals used to make up the rest of the percentage in each piece.
White gold is created when you add palladium to yellow gold, however rhodium plating is used to give white gold is bright white color.
Diamonds can best be described through the following characteristics Carat, Cut, Clarity, Color, Shape
Carat is the unit of measurement of a diamonds weight, which directly translates to its size. The focal measurement is 1 carat, and other diamond sizes are referenced as a portion or multiple of that value, e.g. a ½ carat diamond or .50ct, a 2 and a ½ carat diamond or 2.5ct.
The cut of the diamond is the most important characteristic. If the proportions of a diamond are good it will manage light (sparkle) far better than a badly cut diamond.
There are two sides to the diamond the top half and the bottom half. The top half will have a flat surface called a table in the centre, with faceted edges leading down to the girdled edge. The bottom half has faceted edges leading to a single point at the base of the diamond.
If a diamond is well cut light will penetrate the flat surface at the top, hit the faceted edges on the bottom half and reflect back up through the top half. The angle the faceted edges are cut at is vitally important for this to happen. If the angle is to shallow the light will go straight through, if the angle is too deep the light will be reflected out the sides of the diamond.
Diamond are a natural stone created billions of years ago in the earths crust and brought to the earths surface or left in the Kimberley shafts, by erupting volcanoes. Diamonds are basically crushed carbon. So the chances of a diamond being completely pure with no carbon deposits or gaps in the diamond formation are very rare. Diamonds are therefore graded by the amount of visual imperfection seen in the diamond, and a chart is used for this grading.
VVS: Very Very small Inclusions
VS: Very small Inclusions
SI: Small Inclusions
I1: Inclusion 1
I2: Inclusions 2
I3: Inclusions 3
Similar to the clarity the color of the diamond is graded on a chart to indicate the quality of color in a diamond, the best being the white color and the least color quality being the yellow to brown colored diamonds. However this is slightly deceptive as a pure yellow color is now a highly sought after color and indeed brown diamonds are currently very popular for use in decorative jewellery e.g. cocktail rings, where color is a feature. Really the scale or chart measures the diamond from pure white as the color deteriates to an off yellow/ brown color, and the scale looks like this
E: Colorless 1
F: Colorless 2
G-H: Near colorless
I-J: Near colorless 1
K-M: Faint yellow
N-Z: Light yellow to yellow
Finally the shape of the diamond is the characteristic that you the purchaser have the most influence over. It is a matter of preference for you as to which shape do you like the best, e.g. round (brilliant), square (princess), oval (emerald), pear or heart shape. Traditionally the round brilliant shape is the most popular, this may be because the round cut allows for the greatest reflection of light back up through the diamond.
Independent diamond certificates are provided with some of our diamond rings, particularly the larger single diamonds. There are a number of institutes that grade the diamonds including the IGA (international gemological institute), GIA (Gemological institute of America) and the EGA (European gemological Laboratory). For further information please contact us.
Visit our ring size guide here