Recommendations

We recommend degrees of clarity that don’t alter the brilliance of the diamond, in other words from IF (internally flawless) to Si (small inclusions), where you will nonetheless be careful about the location of the inclusions for the Si (make sure the centre of the stone is clean). The final choice is personal, almost cultural, depending on your preferences, tolerance, and budget; since the IF-VVS are very rare and therefore expensive. A beautiful diamond must be quite pure, but not necessarily IF, although this choice imposes respect.

The choice of the diamond clarity takes us back to the psychologically strong notion of “clarity”. Since the diamond is the symbol of perfection, we understand the importance attributed to this parameter, and why, in popular language, we justifiably talk about flaws in reference to those impurities when the inclusions are considerable. This is wrongly used when referring to the VVS, VS and Si degrees of clarity.

Ideally, you should aim for a “beautiful clarity” or the “highest clarity possible”, while at the same time realising that absolute clarity is illusory, or at least not very natural. Accepting to recognise the inherent imperfection of any object, and the fact that it is not completely satisfying (even for an IF) means accepting to do without an idealised and false representation of reality.

The natural inclusions have a beauty of their own, just as freckles do on the human body. Indeed, nature seems to have wanted to leave an inimitable personal print on the rarest and most precious of items. Each diamond possesses a kind of internal identity card which distinguishes it from all other and gives it its poetry. The most important thing is to know this identity, which is described in the certificate.

We recommend whites from I to D which are taintless whites, with a slightly nuanced I (imperceptible when looking at it from the front).

Exceptional DE whites are harsh, brilliant whites. FG extra whites are…extra white. HI whites are softer whites. The slightly tainted J (or even K) whites are always luminous in the most beautiful cuts.

The choice of the white of the diamond cannot be dissociated from the choice of the colour of the metal for a jewel:
For platinum or rhodium coated white gold, the diamond must be white and taintless (H or more).
Yellow gold - its natural colour- contrasts with the white of the diamond and enhances it even in the lower colours such as IJ or K.

For the coloured diamonds (Fancy), shown in our Specials section in the catalogue, we suggest nuanced types of gold, for example the champagne coloured gold for champagne coloured diamonds.

We also recommend, for colours ranging from I J, to chose diamonds with fluorescence. This enhances the colour. Fluorescent diamonds produce a feeble blue light when exposed to ultraviolet rays, which you also find in natural light. Since blue is the complementary colour of yellow, these diamonds will seem whiter.

The perceived beauty of the diamond is not the result of luck, but the result of a “whole”, which includes the 4Cs (Carat, Clarity, Color, Cut), as well as your subjective reaction to these.

First, start with you, chose a diamond according to the criterion that is the most important to you.

Then, adopt a holistic (gr. holos = whole) approach concerned with an appreciation of the ensemble of the quality parameters of the diamond, and try to find a satisfying balance, a combination of the 4 Cs that suits you.

The Divine Proportion. Since antiquity, the famous harmonious proportions of the Divine Proportion (PHI = 1,618 and its contrary 0,618 = PHI) have been applied to art and architecture. The “Da Vinci Code” reminds us of this. This magical ratio (also referred to as the Golden Number) is also found in the harmonious proportions of the round brilliant. The value of the % of the total depth and of the table, compared to the diameter, is close to phi (around 3/5) and it is thus pleasant to the eye, this is not obtained out of chance.

And finally: when a diamond is accompanied by a certificate issued by one of the three best laboratories in the world (HRD, GIA, IGI), which have nothing to hide, it is already a good guarantee of its beauty.

A micro laser inscription is placed on the girdle of the diamond with its certificate number and the logo of the laboratory. This is also known as “branding”.

Laboratories such as IGI and HRD offer this micro inscription (it is invisible without a 10x magnifying glass) as optional. You can find an enlarged photo of this inscription as an annex to the IGI expertise appraisal.

Attention :

• The inscription is so small (in order to maintain the clarity of the stone) that it is hardly visible with the 10x magnifying glass. For novices, the laboratory’s seal is a visible proof of the concordance between the quality of the sealed diamond and its certificate;
  
  
• Purists are against this inscription on the very pure IF and VVS stones – the laser inscription was invented for highly valuable stones in case of theft. Note however that a thief can easily remove the inscription by getting a diamond cutter to place a facet on it;
  
  
• It is also a commercial element.

In the Selection Offer section, we offer certain diamonds with the inscription, otherwise it is a made-to-order service we provide.

For diamonds or jewels set with diamonds from 0,50 carats, or even from 0,30 carats for the higher quality stones, considering the price, we strongly advise you to ask for a certificate that undoubtedly testifies the quality: do not let your ignorance or your shyness be a source of profit for the dealer.

For smaller brilliants, we do not do a certification, unless there is an explicit demand for it (it is too expensive compared to the value of small brilliants). As long as small brilliant prices remains reasonable, we advise you to “put good money” into it: chose quality (G/VS and above all a good cut). The market is flooded with mediocre quality and badly cut stones; a good deal, but the diamond looses some of its brightness.

For more information about diamonds please contact-us.