Oliver Diamonds, an experts diamond guide...

Approximately eighty per cent of the world's diamonds pass through Antwerp in Belgium, which has been renowned for centuries for the superb skills of its master craftsmen gem-cutters and polishers. Antwerp is where Oliver John learned the diamond trade that he now uses to serve his international clientele.

Diamond is a crystal made up of carbon atoms which exist deep in the ground. Over billions of years diamonds are exposed to intense heat and pressure to create the hardest and most beautiful natural substance on earth.

The first diamond deposits were brought to the surface by volcano-like explosions more than two billion years ago and even the most recent deposits are at least 50 million years old.

So the gem you buy is truly a unique piece of history.

The 4 C's - Cut, Clarity, Colour & Carat...

The 4C's - colour, clarity, carat and cut - are key when it comes to choosing your diamond, particularly if you are buying a diamond ring. It is the interplay of these characteristics that determines the value, rarity and beauty of your diamond.

Cut: Not to be confused with shape, which describes the outer look of a diamond, such as round, emerald or pear shaped. Cut is about the inner brilliance of a diamond, the way light reflects from many angles to give the stone the brightness that brings it to life. The skill of the craftsman transforms an uncut rough diamond into a work of art with a flashing, fiery heart. It is the only one of the 4Cs that is not naturally created when the diamond is in the earth.

Diamond cutting requires great skill. The craftsman polishes tiny surfaces (facets) into the rough diamond to create the crown, culet, table, girdle and pavilion. He will often have to cut away more than half of the rough diamond. A diamond has natural beauty, this sparkle is set free when it is polished - the quality of a diamonds sparkle reflects the quality of the polish it has been given. At Oliver Diamonds, our team specialises in selecting only quality cuts for our jewellery.

A well-proportioned diamond will make good use of light, allowing it to be dispersed and reflected from one facet to another, releasing its brilliance, fire and beauty. If a diamond is cut too deep or too shallow, light escapes through the side or the bottom and the display will be less brilliant. A well-cut diamond is more valuable than a poorly cut stone of the same weight, clarity and colour.

Clarity: The clarity of a stone refers to the number and size of flaws it contains within. These flaws happen when diamonds are formed naturally under huge pressure deep in the earth, and it is extremely rare to find a diamond that is flawless. Importantly, some flaws are more visible than others. At Oliver Diamonds we select diamonds with no marks visible to the naked eye, "eye flawless". Most diamonds contain inclusions - natural identifying characteristics such as minerals or fractures. They may look like tiny crystals, clouds or feathers. Most inclusions are invisible to the naked eye. The fewer the inclusions, the greater the clarity and the more valuable the diamond.

Inclusions are ranked on a scale of perfection called clarity, this was established by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). The clarity scale ranges from FL (flawless) to I (included) and is based on the visibility of inclusions with a x10 maginifcation. Diamonds with inclusions that are visible to the naked eye are graded I1 - I2 and those that are slightly included are SI1 - SI2. Diamonds that are very slightly included are graded VS1 - VS2 and those that are very, very slightly included are VVS1 - VVS2. You may not notice a huge difference between the brilliance of a diamond that is graded, say, VVS1 and internally flawless. Differences are very subtle, it takes experience and practise to appreciate them. 

Some inclusions can be hidden by a diamond's setting or mounting and therefore have little effect on the resulting beauty.

Colour: While many diamonds appear colourless, most contain subtle tones of yellow or brown. The closer a diamond is to having no colour, the more valuable it becomes.This is also determined during the diamond's natural formation and never changes over thousands of years. The less colour inside a white diamond the better. Only 10% of mined diamonds are suitable gem quality. Very few, rare diamonds are truly colourless, making them beyond the reach of most consumers. Oliver Diamonds select white diamonds for our jewellery, other than our unique fancy coloured pieces. Diamond colours are graded from D, continuing through the alphabet to Z. Truly colourless diamonds (D) are treasured for their rarity. While still beautiful, lower graded diamonds are less rare.

Rarer still, are the diamonds that are so affected by colour that on the other end of the spectrum they have so much colour they become fancy coloured diamonds - closely associated with Hollywood glamour. Oliver Diamonds endeavour to give customers what they want - we now offer a fashionable range of natural stones enhanced with beautiful colours such as canary yellow, sky blue and apple green. Click here for our coloured diamond guide

Carat: This is the unit of weight of a diamond and one carat is equal to 0.2 grams. The size of diamond you buy depends upon your budget. The bigger a diamond is does not mean it is better. However, when large diamonds are discovered it is a rare finding so there is a premium to pay for the heavier weight and the price per carat increases as the carat size increases. Larger weight diamonds are rarer and are more valuable. However, two diamonds of the same can have very unequal values, depending on their clarity, colour and cut. A good cut and certain jewellery settings can make a diamond appear larger than its actual carat weight so it's worth taking your time to find the right diamond and a setting that optimises its beauty.

The traditional diamond shape is round brilliant. This is a symmetrical diamond that is capable of reflecting nearly all the light that enters and has the greatest brilliance of all diamond shapes. A round brilliant diamond is a favourite for diamond engagement rings as it is a timeless classic. It looks stunning set proudly in a six or four claw setting on a gold or white gold band.

Understanding diamonds is a huge undertaking, taking years in time and experience to conquer - the 4 C's highlight the most important points. As with anything though, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and this is an important factor with diamonds, they are beautiful and individual, if you like what you see - its your privilege. 

If you have any questions or would like to learn more - dont hesitate to contact a member of the Oliver Diamonds team. Alternatively visit the Diamond Trading Company's website at www.dtc.com/uk

Caring for your diamond

You want to keep your diamond looking as good as the day you bought it. Clean diamonds have a beautiful fire and unique sparkle. However, skin oils, soap and cosmetics can dull your diamond's natural brilliance so try to keep it clean!

Ensure your diamond doesn't come into chlorine bleach as it can damage the gold setting. Don't wear your diamond when doing rough work - as durable as diamonds are, they can be chipped by a hard knock. And don't store your diamond jewellery together as diamonds can scratch each other and other jewellery.