Diamonds

The 4C’s is a brief breakdown of the different categories that make up the key characteristics of a diamond, helping you understand the beauty and value of the diamond you are buying. The combination of these factors determines a diamond’s relative rarity and value.

Clarity

A diamond is given a grade to describe the level of inclusions or imperfections. The less imperfections, the better the clarity. Most diamonds have inclusions; it’s what makes them unique, like a fingerprint.

Carats

Diamond weight is measured in carats (not carrots or karats). The word carat is derived from keratin, the Greek name for the carob tree whose seeds were used for centuries as the standard for weighing precious stones. Because the seed could vary slightly in weight, in 1913, carat weight became metric and is now used internationally to weigh precious stones.

Colour

Fair-trade Gold is sourced exclusively from mines which meet the Fair-trade Gold Standard; an internationally recognised marker of best-practice. The Fair-trade Gold Standard includes strict requirements on working conditions, health and safety, the handling of chemicals, women’s rights, child labour and protection of the environment – including water sources and forests.

Fair-trade Gold is more than just gold, it’s gold with heart. That means we care about the miners who mine this most precious mineral for your gold jewellery, as well as the environment surrounding the mines they work in. 90% of their gold miners work in Artisanal and Small-scale Mines.

Cut

Diamonds are cut to maximise their sparkle, fire, brilliance and overall visual beauty. The diamond’s sparkle is a result of light performance. As light hits a diamond, it penetrates the diamond, bounces around and reflects before returning to your eye – that is the sparkle that you see. The cutting of a diamond directly impacts the amount of light performance achieved, as do the angles, locations, sizes and shapes of facets.