We have all heard the phrase, 'Diamonds are a girls best friend', well it certainly seems that way as our love for these sparkly gemstones is going nowhere! With so many varieties on the market, there is a diamond to suit every taste and budget.
Diamond is the birthstone for April and it is also the month that Graff unveiled the Lesedi La Rona diamond. A record breaking 302.37 carat square emerald cut beauty cut from a whopping 1,111 carats of rough. Obviously, and perhaps sadly, this isn't on everyone's shopping list but when looking for a diamond, there are some great and interesting choices out there.
The 4 C's are a term that is commonly used when diamond shopping and these 4 guidelines are the universally known way of assessing a diamond. Based on the stones colour, clarity, cut and carat weight these factors determine the diamonds quality and therefore price.
White diamonds of a high quality will always be a desirable purchase. The beauty and fire from a dazzling diamond will always gain attention and is still the number one choice of stone for an engagement ring.
Over the years, the trend for something unique and one of a kind has meant that the diamond market has opened up allowing lesser known diamond cuts to blossom in popularity. Rose cuts, old European mine cuts and coloured diamonds have become a keen choice for those looking for a diamond with a more natural and vintage appeal.
Rose cut diamonds, a cutting method popular in Georgian and Victorian times, are having a very welcome revival. Said to dazzle under candle light, the large triangular facets shine exquisitely under low light conditions. This pretty cut of diamond is meant to replicate the petals of an unfolding rosebud. Each hand cut facet is unique and therefore you will never find two rose cut diamond the same. This appeal evokes a sense of romance as well as having a more vintage aesthetic than the modern brilliant cut diamond.
Due to the way these diamonds are cut, featuring between 3 and 24 facets, there are less places for inclusions within the stone to hide, and so the trend for using coloured or 'rustic' diamonds has become increasingly more fashionable.
We have had many brides to be looking for a diamond that features 'flaws and imperfections' as these blemishes also hold a unique and natural charm to the diamond. The colour variations in either salt and pepper, champagne and rust toned diamonds have a gorgeous muted colour palette and a natural interest, they have a warmth and sparkle unlike that of the brilliant cut stone.
In complete contrast to the antique quality of the rose cut or salt and pepper diamond, we are looking to lab grown diamonds for a way to work more ethically within the jewellery industry. As the trend for responsibly sourced materials is on the rise, this is a great way to explore new methods of creating gemstones that do not have a direct impact on the land. These are real diamonds grown in a laboratory, that hold the same characteristic as the diamond seed which they were formed from. We have recently made a cocktail ring for owner and founder of EC One, Alison, and the result is a super sparkly showstopper of a ring!
