Gemstone Knowledge

Gemstone education is important in making a selection that is right for you.

Our Customer Care Team will help you find the perfect gift of fine jewellery at duty free prices.

Whether you are choosing the perfect Diamond engagement ring or a gift for that memorable moment rest assured that are Customer Care Team are there to advise you.

BUYING DIAMONDS Diamonds are classified as the four C's; Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat.

Of the four C's cut is the one that is most directly influenced by man the rest are dictated by nature. Coincidentally, cut is also the most important factor in the overall appearance of a gemstone. It will dramatically influence it's fire and sparkle for it's the cutter's skill that releases it's beauty.

Cut: When a stone is cut to excellent proportions, the light coming into the stone is bounced from one side to the other. Then all of that light leaves the stone from the top as sparkle or fire! When a stone is cut shallow with incorrect angles the light that enters the stone all leaks through the bottom. If a stone is cut deep with incorrect angles, as with the shallow cut the stone loses the light that comes in, but it is through the side of the stone. A well cut stone takes the light going in and reflects out both beautiful white light and colours of the rainbow.

Colour: This varies depending on the type of gemstone being purchased. In the case of Diamonds the old adage, 'less is more' certainly applies. While many Diamonds appear colourless, virtually all fine gem quality Diamonds will have some colour. Diamond colour grades start with 'D' and continue through the alphabet. The closer a Diamond is to being colourless, the rarer and more valuable it becomes...just a single digit change in the colour grade can significantly affect a Diamond's value. In other gemstones such as Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire and Tanzanite the most important factor is colour. Rich and vivid colours should be considered.

Clarity: An indication of the gemstones purity. In all gemstones, except the most rare, tiny traces of minerals, gasses, or other elements were trapped inside during the crystallization process. They are technically called inclusions, but you might also think of them as birthmarks...unique to each stone. Many of these birthmarks are not visible to the naked eye. The clarity of a gemstone is graded by how many, where and how large these inclusions are located. Naturally, the fewer and smaller, the more valuable the stone becomes.

Carat: As with all precious stones, the weight and therefore the size of gemstones are expressed in carats. One carat is divided into 100 points so that a gemstone of 50 points (0.50ct) is described as half carat. Carat weight is the easiest factor to determine.