Diamond Advice and Information
Our Purpose
Selecting a diamond is an exciting and very precious moment, not one most of us do often, and it's important to get your perfect diamond for the best value.
Since 1973, Mayfair Jewellers have been keeping the romance in the engagement ring journey. Our purpose is to provide quality service and education for our customers to ensure this moment remains special and not overwhelming.
To select the perfect diamond for your engagement ring there are few things to consider.
Diamonds
It takes millions, possibly billions of years for a diamond to form with only 20% of diamonds actually being used for jewellery. Most diamonds are mined is South Africa, Russia and Canada. These diamonds usually then travel to London and are then sent to Belgium, Israel and India to be cut.
There are four main characteristics that make up a diamond with each affecting the brilliance and price.
Carat - The price of a diamond rises exponentially to its size, large diamonds are less commonly found therefore making them more expensive. How a diamond appears is also determined by other factors such as shape and cut. A 0.90ct diamond can appear almost identical in size to a 1.0ct of the same quality, however it can be very different in price. Likewise a 1.0ct diamond will often be four times the price of a similar 0.50ct.
Cut - Not only used to describe the shape, the cut also defines the reflective qualities of a diamond, giving it the sparkle! It combines brightness (white light reflecting from the top surface), fire (flares of colour) and scintillation (flashes of light). The cut of a diamond can range from Excellent to Poor and is one of the most important C's to consider.
Colour - This actually refers to the lack of colour in a diamond, with the whitest and brightest grade being D. Even though a diamond is graded D, colour is a very personal and individual choice. You may not visually see the colour difference between a grade D or grade F diamond but again, the price may vary greatly.
Clarity - Almost all diamonds have small inclusions although they are not always visible to the naked eye. The visibility, size and location of these natural imperfections play a significant role in determining the price and appeal of a diamond.
Our Philosophy
Below is a recommendation that we have used for our current online diamond options and are quoted as GIA certified, F colour, SI1clarity and Excellent cut.
GIA - Established in 1931, GIA is the world’s foremost authority on diamond grading. We can source other certificates (HRD, IGI), please contact us for more information.
F colour – The colour difference between a D and an F is only visible to an expert using expert equipment as a comparison. F grades are therefore the best value of the premium colours.
SI1 clarity - We ensure these slight inclusions are not visible to the naked eye. When combined with an F colour and Excellent cut you get a guaranteed beautiful diamond for the best value.
Excellent cut - It's all about the sparkle! The optimum cut for a diamond allowing light to move through and bounce almost fully back out the top of the stone to bring brilliance and shine into view.
Choosing a diamond is a very personal experience and there is no one fit for everyone. Should you require something different to our recommendation or something specific, please contact our showroom. We work with some of the world's largest diamond suppliers and we will happily arrange any diamond for you.