Diamonds are Forever

How to choose the best diamond every time

Diamonds have been in the spotlight for centuries now, and it doesn't seem like that will be changing anytime soon. Since their discovery in India in the 4th century BC, this precious stone has been valued for its brilliance and rarity. Over time, diamonds have gained a reputation for being a desirable stone that represents love, romance, and commitment. After all, everyone knows the unspoken meaning a diamond ring holds. Here at  Kat Cadegan Jewellery, we love  creating jewellery for every milestone in your life, whatever that may be. 

Just like choosing the perfect piece of jewellery for your occasion, we take our time picking only the best quality, show-stopping diamonds to work with. 

Natural and lab-made diamonds

Natural diamonds are formed deep within the earth's mantle, when carbon atoms crystallize under extreme pressures and high temperatures. During a volcanic eruption, those deposits are pushed to the earth’s surface. From start to finish, this natural process takes between 1 and 3.3 billion years. 

To shorten this time frame, humans found a way to create lab-made diamonds. This process takes a fraction of the time and involves mimicking the pressure and temperature conditions needed to create a diamond. Lab-made diamonds look almost identical to natural diamonds, and are similar in terms of strength. Lab-made diamonds can come in a myriad of different qualities to match the desires of the customer. The key difference between lab-made and natural diamonds is the origin and the price.

Choosing a high-quality diamond

Since all diamonds come in unique shapes, sizes and colours, it became difficult to grade them and determine their quality - at least, until the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) stepped in. In 1931, they made a commitment to protect diamond buyers by inventing the international diamond grading system. This system determines the quality of a diamond by looking at what the GIA calls the "4 C's".

What are the 4C's? 

The 4 C's are cut, carat weight, colour, and clarity and are now an industry standard for assessing the value and quality of a diamond. 

Cut

The cut of a diamond directly influences how the stone interacts with light and affects the overall sparkle and appearance. There are four different diamond cuts (brilliant, step, mixed, and rose), each balanced to reflect light differently. At Kat Cadegan Jewellery, we tend to work with rose cut diamonds which are ethereal and antique-inspired. 

Carat Weight

Often confused with visual size, the term carat is universally used to describe the weight of a diamond. For example, one carat is roughly equal to the weight of a paperclip (0.2 grams). Since there is no specified carat size that is considered "best", always keep the rest of the 4 C's in mind, and remember to choose what you're attracted to. 

Colour

Diamond colour plays a big part in the quality of the stone. Each diamond has a natural colour tint, but the closer a diamond is to being colourless, the rarer it is, and the more value it holds. The official GIA scale measures the colour hue in white diamonds using a scale ranging from DEF(colourless) to GHIJ (near colourless) to K-Z (with colour). Diamonds with hues that extend beyond the Z rating are considered fancy-coloured and often come in colours outside the normal colour range, like pink or yellow. These diamonds are considered incredibly rare.

Clarity

Whether naturally or lab-made, diamonds often inherit natural microscopic characteristics that become trapped within the stone. Whether internal or surface-level, these blemishes directly impact the clarity of a diamond. The lower the number of imperfections, the higher the quality of the diamond. 

Different diamond shapes

The shape of a diamond is typically what people consider first when shopping for engagement rings or diamond wedding rings. Here at Kat Cadegan Jewellery, we work with a variety of shapes, including round, princess, marquise, emerald, oval, pear, cushion, and heart-shaped. 

Get inspired with our diamond jewellery 

We have an extensive collection of diamond jewellery including diamond necklaces, earrings and rings. Diamonds can be enjoyed on any occasion, big or small, from our  Cosmos Earrings to our diamond  engagement rings. If a style of ring inspires you - let us know! We are happy to help you create a custom ring that speaks to you. 

“Diamonds are forever” 

Our prediction is that diamonds will never go out of style. After all, these coveted gems are hard not to love with their versatility and uniqueness. Whether you're searching for a diamond to call your own or the perfect ring to represent your commitment, we're here to guide you in the right direction.