Diamond Guide

Choosing a lab-grown diamond comes down to four things: the 4Cs. Here's what each one means and where we'd spend your budget.

Cut

Cut is how well the diamond has been shaped and polished, and it has the biggest effect on sparkle. We recommend Excellent or Ideal cut for round brilliants. (Shape, such as round, oval or emerald, is separate from cut grade.)

Colour

Graded from D (colourless) down the alphabet. D–F are colourless; G–H are near-colourless and look white to the eye once set, especially in yellow gold.

Clarity

How free the stone is of tiny inclusions. VVS2–VS1 stones are "eye clean", meaning you won't see anything without magnification, and offer excellent value.

Carat

Carat is weight, not size. Our settings are designed around 1ct, 1.5ct, 2ct and 3ct centre stones (The Emerald Cut in 1ct and 1.5ct only).

Shapes

• Round brilliant: the most sparkle. The Solitaire, The Classic Solitaire and The Brilliant Promise.
• Oval: elongates the finger and looks larger per carat. The Oval Radiance.
• Emerald: step-cut, clean lines, a hall-of-mirrors effect. The Emerald Cut.

Metal

All settings are made to order in solid yellow or white gold.