Diamonds at Andrew Humphries

With over 23 years of experience in the jewellery trade, we have been able to secure accounts with some of the biggest and most respected diamond dealers in the world. This gives us the unique opportunity to be able to source a wide range of Diamonds to ensure that we obtain the best quality stone to suit your specific needs.

We will always work to your budget when assisting you to choose the perfect stone for you and WE ALWAYS , give you honest and professional advice on your stone choice.

About Diamonds
Diamond is the most celebrated of all birthstones even though it is not the rarest or most expensive. Why then the long-held fascination with this usually near colourless stone? Simply put, diamonds are hard.

A diamond is approximately 140 times harder than any other mineral. The supreme hardness means that Diamond, while it can be shattered, cannot be scratched by anything other than another diamond. This hardness caused the ancient Greeks to name the stone "Adamas", which means invincible.

Diamond is distinctive in the way it reflects light. It has a unique brilliance and also breaks the light up into spectral colours, which reflect within the stone as it is moved. Another unusual quality of a Diamond is its purity. A gem quality diamond is among the purest elements found in nature.

Diamonds actually occur in all different colours, true red being most rare, followed by blue. Diamonds formed deep within the earth where the pressure and heat are intense.

 

THE 4Cs
Key to Diamond Quality

To establish a diamond's quality, jewellers examine each of the 4Cs -- cut, clarity, carat weight and colour. The combination of the 4Cs determines the value of a particular diamond. For example, a colourless diamond is at the top Diamond Quality .. but if it lacks clarity, is small, or not well cut, it will be of a lower value. The finest stones possess the rarest quality in each of the 4Cs, and are the most valuable.

Strive for a stone that offers the best combination of the 4Cs. Ultimately, you'll discover the unique combination of the 4Cs that makes a particular diamond the right choice for you. Its beauty and brilliance will capture the true sentiment of the occasion.

 

CUT
The Better Cut a Diamond, the More Brilliant

A well cut or faceted diamond, regardless of its shape, scintillates with fire and light -- offering the greatest brilliance and value.

While nature determines a diamond's clarity, carat weight and colour, the hand of a master craftsman is necessary to release its fire, sparkle and beauty. When a diamond is cut to good proportions, light will reflect from one mirror-like facet to another and disperse through the top of the stone, resulting in a display of brilliance and fire.

Diamonds that are cut too deep or too shallow lose light that spills through the side or bottom. As a result, poorly cut stones will be less brilliant and beautiful -- and certainly less valuable -- than well cut diamonds higher in Diamond Quality.

 

CLARITY
The Purer a Diamond, the More Brilliant

The greater a diamond's clarity, the more brilliant, valuable and rare it is -- and the higher it is in Diamond Quality.

Virtually all natural diamonds contain identifying characteristics, yet many are invisible to the naked eye. Under the scrutiny of a jeweller’s 10x-magnifying loupe or microscope, natural phenomena -- called inclusions -- may be seen. These are nature's birthmarks, and they may look like tiny crystals, clouds, or feathers.

Diamonds categorized as internally flawless reveal no such inclusions. Flawless stones are at the peak of the Diamond Quality Pyramid and are treasured for their rarity and beauty. Diamonds with very, very small inclusions are graded as VVS1 or VVS2. The larger the inclusion, the lower the grade and the less rare the diamond. Inclusions that can be seen with the naked eye are graded I1 or I3.

The number, colour, type, size and position of surface and internal birthmarks affect a diamond's value. Major inclusions can interfere with the path of light that travels through a diamond, diminishing its brilliance and sparkle and therefore its value.

 

CARAT
The Larger a Diamond, the More Rare

Larger diamonds are found relatively infrequently in nature, which places them at the rarest level of Diamond Quality. What also makes a bigger diamond so desirable is that it shows off a stone's fine colour and cut, and therefore its brilliance, to its best advantage.

A diamond's size is measured in carat weight, and each carat is equal to 100 points. A .75 carat diamond is the same as a 75-point diamond or a 3/4 carat stone.

While larger diamonds are highly prized, diamonds of equal size may vary widely in value and brilliance, depending on their qualities of clarity, cut, and colour.

 

COLOR
The More Pure the Colour in a Diamond, the More Rare

Diamonds are graded by colour, starting at D and continuing through the alphabet. Truly colourless stones, graded D, treasured for their rarity and value, are highest in Diamond Quality.

While many diamonds appear colourless, they may actually have subtle yellow or brown tones and these colour grades include P and Q. Although still beautiful, they will be less rare and therefore less valuable. To appreciate the simple beauty of each individual stone, you should compare diamonds side by side with a jeweller.

"Fancy" diamonds -- in well defined colours that include red, pink, blue, green and canary yellow -- are highly prized and particularly rare.