At Firebug Diamonds we understand that before you start shopping around for that perfect diamond you need to have an understanding of what you are buying. We have put together this simple guide to assist you when choosing that special diamond purchase. There are four main criteria to consider when buying your diamond these are cut, colour, clarity, and carat weight also referred to as the 4C's – This will enable you to select your diamond based on the same criteria jewellers use to grade them.

After reading through our short guide, you will be ready to choose the diamond that is perfect for you.

Shape

Diamonds are fashioned from their natural form by skilled craftsmen in to the wide variety of shapes we see today; of these shapes the Brilliant Round is by far the most popular, its deal proportions maximize
brilliance, fire and sparkle. We refer to other none round diamonds as fancy shaped diamonds all possess a beauty which is individual to their shape and all have an inherent difference in the physics of light reflection.

Carat

Of the 4Cs, Carat is probably one of the most important considerations with respect to rarity, value, and consumer preference, often confused with size carat is actually the weight of a diamond. The word Carat reputedly derives
from the word Carob where years ago carob seeds were used to weigh diamonds because their mass varied so little. Carat weight or how much the diamond weighs is one of the most significant factors in a diamonds value.

Cut

The term ‘cut’ is often used to describe a diamond's shape, however ‘cut’ generally refers to a diamond's finished proportions. Cutting is the man-made transformation of a rough diamond crystal into a faceted, polished and
completely unique gem. Cutters often look to maximise the natural proportions of a rough diamond by minimising waste during the cutting process.

Colour

Diamonds are not always white and actually have the widest variety of colours of all gem materials. Most diamonds however are desired for their lack of colour. In fact, the closer a diamond is to being colourless, the more rare and valuable
it is. Diamonds reflect light into a spectrum of colours, which we refer to as its ‘fire’, the fewer colours a diamond has the more fire it emits.

Clarity

Diamonds are found deep within the Earth and are naturally formed over millions of years under tremendous pressure and extreme heat. As a result of this, even in their polished state most contain internal or external properties called clarity characteristics. Just as no two finger prints are alike, no
two diamonds are alike. The clearer a diamond is the rarer and more expensive it is.

Certification

Certified diamonds are diamonds that have undergone an unbiased, professional examination. This means that they have been independently inspected in a laboratory and graded for various characteristics including carat weight, cut, colour and clarity. Gemmologists measure, evaluate
and scrutinize the stone using various industry tools in order to classify its various characteristics. This can then be used to determine the diamonds market price and is also useful for any future valuation.