What diamond criteria to favour ?

The beauty of diamonds: the combination of the 4Cs... and You

 

First of all, let's remember that the quality of a diamond is determined by four main criteria which are "the 4C's"

Carat (diamond weight)

Colour (degrees of white)

Clarity (degrees of purity)

Cut (quality of the cut)


The weight expressed in carats is the factor that most influences the price of a diamond. These two criteria, weight and price, usually precede the choice of quality.

We recommend considering each diamond in its entirety, the 4C's as a whole, rather than considering it in a piecemeal fashion in an approach that focuses on the individual criteria. The important thing to do when choosing the quality criteria to be favored when buying your diamond online is to ask yourself the right questions and then make the choices and priorities that best suit you.

What carat weight and dimensions would you like?

 

To begin with, the easiest criterion to choose is the carat weight of your diamond. Depending on your budget, the type of jewelry (ring, pendant, solitaire...) and the style (contemporary, classic...) that you want, you will quickly determine the weight of the diamond that matches these criteria.

  Carat weight
 

Indeed, the weight of a diamond defines its price category. The price evolves exponentially in relation to the weight. The percentage price difference between a 0.30 carat and 0.40 carat diamond is smaller than the price difference between a 0.50 carat and 0.60 carat diamond. By consulting our online catalog, you can search by price range.

The weight (0.30 carat...0.50 carat...1 carat...) also determines the volume of the diamond you will buy. A round brilliant diamond of half a carat has a diameter of about 5.2mm while a round diamond of one carat measures around 6.3mm. The style of jewelry strongly influences the volume and therefore the weight of the diamond to be purchased. For example, a claw-set solitaire requires a diamond with a larger volume than a closed-set solitaire, where the gold material will give a volume effect to the ring without the center diamond necessarily being very large. Or, for earrings, one generally chooses smaller diamonds than the ring size.

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Which diamond shape to choose?

 
  Diamond shape
 

The question of the shape of the diamond is intimately linked to your personal taste and the style of the precious jewel desired. Because a heart diamond or a pear diamond is suitable for very specific types of frames. Choosing an emerald cut diamond also means choosing a specific style of frame. The round brilliant cut diamond is, as its name suggests, the shape that gives the diamond the most sparkle. It is also the most classic and timeless. Princess shape diamonds are also very common, especially for wedding rings or ring pavings. Other shapes are more subject to fashion. Currently, the most mediatized shape is the ring with a cushion cut diamond in its center. 

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Which size quality to choose?

 
 

Size quality is a parameter of the utmost importance. Indeed, all the magic and rarity of a diamond is to shine. A stone known as "lifeless" is of lesser interest. We recommend that you choose a diamond whose cut quality is rated at least "Very Good" by one of the three most prestigious gemmology laboratories: HRD, IGI, GIA. For those who want the top quality we recommend the "excellent" cut notes that ensure your diamond will have maximum brilliance.

  Diamond Cut quality
Diamond cut

Timeless collection
 

What color and clarity of diamond should I buy?

 

The choice of purity and color are matters of personal preference, which can be grouped into broad categories (see below) of people and diamonds:

- Color DEF and Purity IF-VVS: the criterion of choice for the unconditional fans of top quality (the so-called "Collection" quality for diamond dealers) (at the extreme D IF, "simply the best").

- Color DEF and Purity VS-SI: the criterion of choice for aficionados of very white above all, (in the extreme: D the exceptional white+).

- GHI Color and IF-VVS Purity: the purists' criterion of choice (in the extreme: only IF Internally Flawless, pure under the magnifying glass)

- GHI Color and VS-SI Purity: the rational choice criterion of a good balance (best value for money)

- IJK color and Si2-P1 purity: the criteria for choosing "show off" to maximize weight and "cool, relax" on quality

Colour

Don't let the term color fool you. There are white diamonds and colored diamonds (yellow, pink, blue ...). For white diamonds, the note of color, between D and Z, refers to shades of white: white goes from colorless (D) to yellow-tinted (from I). We recommend diamonds with a white hue between D (exceptional white+) and H (white) because the whiteness of the diamond increases its brilliance. From I onwards, diamonds are slightly yellow-tinted: avoid on white gold and acceptable within a certain limit on yellow gold. If you wish to have more information on the color of a diamond, you can also consult our article "Diamond Color".

Purity

The importance of the purity criterion increases with the weight of the diamond. Indeed, if it is difficult to see an inclusion on a 0.30 carat diamond with the naked eye, it becomes much easier to see it on a 1 carat diamond.  The larger your diamond is, the more demanding you have to be on this criteria. Also note that regardless of its weight, we recommend that you avoid choosing a Pique diamond, because inclusions are easily seen with the naked eye, alter the brilliance and can even weaken the stone. The purities included in VS and SI1 are the most recommended purities, unless you have the budget to let yourself be tempted by IF or VVS purities, which sign the diamond in its highest dimension: that of purity.

Find all our
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Diamond Certificates (GIA, IGI, HRD)

Guide

Diamond Carat

Guide

Diamond Clarity

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Diamond Colour

Guide

Diamond Cut

Guide

Different shapes of diamonds

What type of certificate should I choose?

 
  Diamond certificate
 

It is essential to buy a natural diamond that is certified by one of the only 3 gemmology laboratories worldwide: the GIA, HRD or IGI certificate. On the certificate issued by these laboratories, are indicated all the criteria indicated above (carat weight, color, clarity, quality of cut...). Each diamond is unique and has a certification number. This number can also be inscribed on the roundel of the diamond, which attests to the correct match between the stone and the certificate.

Our price catalog of certified diamonds allows you to familiarize yourself with the qualities of cut, white and clarity possible for a given range of weight and price.

Without forgetting, the 5th C of Confidence

 
  Beauty promise kept
 

Trust is one of the foundations of bonds and alliances.

It makes it possible to dare and to risk.

You don't buy a diamond if there is no trust.

It is not a question of credulity or faith, but of reliability.

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We recommend the following 5 quality categories

 

To help you choose, we recommend 5 categories of diamonds that correspond to different objectives: Volume (maximizing weight), Balance (compromise weight and quality), Perfection (maximizing quality), Favorite (the i- diamonds), Promotion (one-time price offer).

 

1) Volume: maximizing the weight of the diamond in relation to its price, color I-J and clarity SI1-SI2

2) Balance: favor a good color / purity balance: F-G / VS1-VS2

3) Perfection: maximizing the quality of the diamond with the best color and clarity criteria: D IF

4) Favorite: diamond selected by i-diamonds for its brilliance, D-E color, VS1 clarity, size criteria all rated “Excellent”, no fluorescence

5) Promotion: 5% promotion diamond

 
 
 
 
 
 

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