Everything You Need to Know About Buying a Great Diamond — Tapping the Unparalleled De Beers’ Expertise

This article is part of a promoted series and not produced by the editorial staff.

“I skip stones on the darkened sky, to make ripples of shooting stars, to make wishes for her love to stay, in my hands like diamonds.”

That short poem was written by Atticus, and it’s full of allusion, about love and longing. It taps into eternity, and it speaks eloquently of desire, passion and devotion. It is, simply, a verbal diamond, a thing of lasting beauty.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with poetry, and when you propose marriage to your loved one, you could do no better than reciting a poem when you proffer the diamond. But there must be a diamond. Because like the feelings and desires the poem speaks of, diamonds are eternal.

And there’s no better source for all things diamond than De Beers, a company founded in 1888 whose mission was, is and always will be to make life’s special moments even more. More lovely, more special and more you. From learning about the 4 Cs — cut, color, carat and clarity — to selecting your diamond, the people of De Beers will work to be your partners in love. The best partners a diamond seeker could ever have.

What are the Four Cs? You’ve no doubt heard the phrase, and while each diamond is unique, you benefit from understanding the four characteristics shared by each precious stone. Click here for the complete De Beers guide, but here’s a primer for your consideration.

Cut

 This is where you begin, because without an expert cut, a diamond is nothing but a stone. (Well, it’s more than a regular stone, but you get the idea.) The artisan who cuts your diamond will maximize its beauty, its sparkle and its value. Indeed, a well-cut 1.5-carat diamond might well fetch more in the marketplace than a 2-carat stone that’s been treated poorly. While the cut grade from De Beers Institute of Diamonds ranges from Poor to Excellent, a poorly cut diamond cannot live to its potential. The grading report for diamonds from Beers Jewellers will always accurately reflect the high quality of their diamonds.

De Beers pays attention to the facets and angles of the diamonds it puts its name behind, and you can rest assured that it has no patience for poorly cut diamonds.

Color

The next C is color, and while it might at first seem complex, it’s best to look at it this way: purely colorless might not be your cup of tea. These stones are rare, and therefore expensive, but don’t get hung up on that. Diamonds are graded on a scale of 23 shades, from ice white D (colorless) to warmer Z (light color). The average human cannot differentiate between, say D and E, or E and F, but the professional graders at the Institute of Diamonds use a natural color master stone set and check their assessment against De Beers proprietary instrument to assign the final color grade to each stone De Beers sells, so you’re never in doubt as to what you are purchasing.

“It’s important to note that color is often hard to assess with the naked eye and without gemological training,” gemologist Anubh Shah tells Bride magazine’s Nicole Kliest. Color is a subjective thing, and good advice is to determine what you and your partner desire and get the best example of that hue.

Carat

Now we come to the “C” that everyone has heard of. It’s a word that’s freighted with lots of meaning, but one that can be confusing. First, a little history. “Carat” comes from the word “carob” — in the ancient world the seeds of the carob tree were used as a reference for weighing diamonds (one diamond carat is equal to 200 milligrams).

Of course, a large diamond has unique cachet, but here’s something important to remember: If a 3-carat diamond is cut poorly, it would be deemed by many jewelry professionals as less desirable than a 2-carat diamond that’s been cut well. De Beers never cuts poorly, so you can have confidence in the stone’s high caliber of quality regardless of budget or carat size.

Clarity

Let’s start this “C” by getting a few words from Emma Clarkson Webb, a jeweler based in London.

“It’s important to think about what your budget will allow – if you want a larger diamond for example you may need to compromise on clarity – as the higher the clarity the more expensive the stone will be,” Webb tells Metro. “The clarity grade has the biggest impact on price, but the least impact on physical beauty.”

The Clarity scale runs from Flawless (FL) to Included, and no natural diamond is completely flawless, which also makes them so unique. In fact, most jewelers have never seen one. The flaws are inclusions or blemishes caused by the conditions in which the stones are formed — high heat and pressure. De Beers makes this easy for you, because it chooses white diamonds up to Grade SI2 only, meaning the inclusions are not visible to the naked eye. You can’t go wrong this way.

Now that you know something about the Four Cs, its time to choose a diamond shape. And this is a fun and exciting part, because it’s an opportunity for personalization. Some personalities are attracted to the most popular traditional shapes— round, or round brilliant cut — while others have their hearts on a so-called fancy shape — cushion, marquise, princess, Asscher.

Each shape has its merits and advantages. For example, princess-cut stones radiate color from their corners as well as their centers, while marquise-cut specimens are ideal for emphasizing carat weight.

Shape is a subjective consideration, so start there. Does your loved one like tradition, or trends? No matter the shape preferred, the artisans at De Beers will provide nothing but happiness, because they cut each stone with beauty, not weight, in mind. This means that you can choose a diamond knowing that the stone you purchase was meant for the shape De Beers gave it. Your diamond will possess integrity and elegance, and nothing less.

Here’s a look at some diamond shapes:

Round Brilliant

This is by far the most popular shape among purchasers of diamonds. De Beers loves it, and its quest for perfection means that only the best stones will be awarded the De Beers True Brilliant accolade. No one (or hardly anyone) dislikes a round diamond.

Princess-Cut

This stone makes a dramatic entrance wherever it goes, with lovely clean lines and defined corners. It’s multi-faceted, which brings out its sparkling brilliance.

Emerald-Cut

Is there anything more elegant? The eye can become lost in an emerald-cut stone, and that’s not a bad thing at all, is it?

Asscher-Cut

Joseph Asscher, a legendary diamond cutter, gave his name to this shape, which he created in 1902. It works best with diamonds of VS2 clarity or greater, because the way it is cut affords unobstructed views deep into the stone. Asscher even patented the shape, making his namesake beauty the first patented diamond cut.

Marquise-Shape

This shape, whose roots lie in France, has a royal lineage. Legend has it that King Louis XV commissioned a jeweler to make a ring for his lover Jean Antoinette Poisson, better known as Madame du Pompadour or Marquise de Pompadour. The king wanted a stone that looked like the madame’s lips, et voilà, a famous and cherished shape was born.

Once you have done some research and are more familiar with the Four Cs and the traditional and not-so-traditional stone shapes, it’s time to make your dreams come true. It’s time to create and practice your proposal, and it’s time to buy the ring. As with every step in the journey, De Beers makes for a great guiding partner.

About the De Beers Institute of Diamonds

The De Beers Institute of Diamonds is the only international laboratory that grades natural, untreated diamonds, part of De Beers Group but independent.  The De Beers Institute of Diamonds publishes its grading standards for full transparency. More details about the value of De Beers Institute of Diamonds grading, beyond what will show on the De Beers website, can be found on the De Beers Institute of Diamonds website.

All this supports the full confidence that the quality of diamonds from De Beers Jewellers translates accurately into their grading report. That’s the De Beers difference.

For more on the De Beers’ diamonds difference, book an appointment or visit the full website. Should you prefer having a video call with a Brand Ambassador to view pieces available in store, please request a call back on the website