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Buying Diamonds

The journey of choosing the perfect diamond is made simple with Hettich where our staff will make you feel welcome and relaxed. We will tempt you with beauty, brilliance, life and fire, the key elements of every diamond which are incorporated with the four C’s.

Four C's

The four C’s refer to cut, clarity, colour and carat

They all interact with each other to contribute to a diamond’s beauty. These remain the standard criteria for explaining diamond characteristics and are frequently supported by certificates from independent laboratories, such as the  Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or HRD. The system of four C’s was originally intended as a means of communication between diamond professionals and not as a way of selecting diamonds for beauty. This is a very important point to remember because, after all, you are buying an object of beauty, not a piece of paper.

All of our diamonds are selected for their lasting beauty and value for money. Let us take you on a journey that will guide you to your perfect diamond. Most of our stones are already set in jewellery, but we always have loose stones available and can access international diamond markets. So, call us now on 01534 734491 and let’s get you your perfect diamond.

1. Cut

The shape you may choose is entirely personal

Choices include Round, Princess, Pear, Emerald, Marquise and Royal Asscher to name but a few. Brilliant cut diamonds are the perennial engagement ring classic. Pear-shaped stones have an elegant outline and tend to look a little larger or, if your preference is for a contemporary style, Royal Asscher cut or Princess cut stones might be for you. The choice is yours.

Choices include Round, Princess, Pear, Emerald, Marquise and Royal Asscher to name but a few. Brilliant cut diamonds are the perennial engagement ring classic. Pear-shaped stones have an elegant outline and tend to look a little larger or, if your preference is for a contemporary style, Royal Asscher cut or Princess cut stones might be for you. The choice is yours.

2. Colour

Colour is generally considered to be the second most important characteristic which determines a diamond's value

With white diamonds, what is referred to as colour is actually the lack of colour and is measured on a scale starting with D, through to Z. Diamonds are graded by inspection in controlled lighting conditions (e.g. natural daylight or lamps that replicate its wavelength) and with comparison to pre-graded master stones.

Hettich can offer a selection covering most colour ranges from D to K. For the purest grades D, E and F offer no noticeable colour. However, grades G, H and I offer stones that look white to the eye, but with inspection, reveal little or no noticeable colour. These grades are often the most purchased as they offer an excellent balance between beauty and value. Natural, fancy colour diamonds have recently become very popular and are available in every shade in nature. We are pleased to have some exquisite examples in our collection, particularly fancy yellow diamonds which look stunning

Colour Grades

GradeColourDescription
D-FColourlessVery rare, fewer than 1% of diamonds
G-JNear colourlessMinor traces of colour and represent the top 15% of all diamonds
K-MFaint colourFaint yellow or brown tinge. Top 40% of all diamonds.

N-RVery light colourMuch less expensive than higher grades
S-ZLight colourToo much colour for a white diamond.

3. Clarity

A diamond's clarity refers to its optical purity

But simply, it is a measure of the number and size of the tiny inclusions, or surface marks, that occur in almost all diamonds that can be seen under 10x magnification. According to many experts, clarity has the least impact on a diamond's appearance. We offer diamonds generally in the range of Flawless to SI. Stones in the range of FL/IF command the highest prices. VVS1 - VVS2 are at the next price level and offer exceptional quality at a slightly lower price. Stones in the range of VS1-SI2 can offer great value, as generally the inclusions do not impact upon the stone's beauty.

Clarity Grades Scale
0 FL/IF - flawless or internally flawless. No inclusions
1-2 VVS - Very, very slightly included
3-4 VS - Very slightly included
5-7 SI - Slightly included
7-10 I - Included

4. Caret

weight, not size…

This is the term that people are probably most familiar with and is a measure of weight, not size. One carat is equivalent to a fifth of a gram. The term carat is believed to come from the ancient way of trading diamonds when traders' scales were balanced by carob seeds, which were amazingly consistent in weight. Choosing the weight is a personal consideration, depending upon budget available, and should be considered in relation to the cut grade, because poorly cut stones may often have a diameter larger or smaller than well cut stones.

The Fifth C

Confidence

We would like to add a fifth 'C': confidence. It's easy to regard diamonds as a commodity, but as we have discussed, their great worth comes from beauty. We cannot stress enough that whilst all of the above factors can be measured and are important, it takes years of training and experience to understand diamonds. We are confident and qualified diamond graders and our experience ensures that we only hold carefully chosen stones.

The best way to select your perfect diamond can only come from viewing it personally. We strongly advise avoiding purchasing diamonds online as many of the stones offered have characteristics that appear to be graded well, but which would not pass the Hettich quality threshold. Finding your perfect diamond is very important, as is finding the right jeweller to purchase from. You can rely on us to supply you with an outstanding stone and nothing less.

Ethical Sourcing

Conflict Free

All diamonds sourced by Hettich are conflict free. Only buying our diamonds from suppliers who fully subscribe to the Kimberley Process (KP) ensures every diamond can be traced back to a source that is confirmed as not being involved in funding conflict.  Furthermore, we also have a partnership with the Royal Asscher Stars of Africa project, the proceeds of which go to improving infrastructure and creating funding for healthcare, education and self-sufficiency programmes in Africa.

The Kimberley Process, started in 2000, is an organisation that unites administrations, civil societies and industry in the fight against the production of conflict diamonds. They are responsible for reducing the flow of diamonds used to fund wars against governments by 99.8%.

Bespoke Design

Find your perfect stone

We can help you to find your perfect stone, and then offer you a completely bespoke service. Our talented and experienced team of jewellers both in-house in Jersey, and at our London and German studios, can work with you to create a bespoke item of jewellery that reflects both our passion as well as your own imagination and desire. Find out more about our bespoke design process here.

Service

Looking after your diamond

Your diamond should be looked after and kept clean to allow it to sparkle at its brilliant best and ensure the stone is secure. We encourage our customers who have purchased their diamond from us to take advantage of a free clean and regular inspection of the setting.
*Polishing, if required, will be chargeable.

Please call us to discuss any of your diamond requirements. We love these wonderful gems and are here to help.

For further in-depth technical information, please refer to the website of the Gemological Institute of America at www.gia.edu.

Elegant Designs

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