How to Choose Diamonds: An Expert Buying Guide
When investing in fine jewellery, understanding the qualities that define a diamond’s value is essential. Here we present a clear diamond buying guide, focusing on the famous 4Cs: carat, cut, clarity and colour.
Carat: Measuring Diamond Weight
The carat is the unit used to measure a diamond’s weight. One carat equals 200 milligrams (around 1/140th of an ounce). While larger diamonds are rarer and more valuable, carat weight should be considered alongside cut, clarity, and colour to assess overall beauty and brilliance.
Cut: Unlocking a Diamond’s Brilliance
The cut of a diamond determines how effectively it reflects light. A well-cut diamond creates exceptional sparkle and fire. The most popular is the brilliant cut, featuring at least 56 facets, a table, and a point. Other shapes—round, pear, oval, cushion, and emerald—can be equally precious when cut to maximise the stone’s natural beauty.
Clarity: Assessing Diamond Purity
Clarity refers to the absence of internal inclusions and external blemishes. Diamonds are graded under 10x magnification, from FL (flawless) and IF (internally flawless), through VVS (very, very slightly included) and VS (very slightly included), to SI (slightly included) and I (included).
FL / IF: Exceptional purity, rarest grades
VVS / VS: Tiny inclusions, invisible to the naked eye, excellent value
SI / I: Inclusions visible to the eye, may affect brilliance
For fine jewellery, VS clarity offers the perfect balance of beauty and value.
Colour: The Diamond Spectrum
The best diamonds are colourless, graded from D (colourless), E and F (near colourless) to Z (light yellow or brown). Colourless diamonds allow maximum light dispersion, producing brilliance and rainbow fire.
The colours D, E and F are named the ‘Collection Colours’ by jewellers, as these most represent the pure beauty of the diamond.
Beyond the standard scale, fancy coloured diamonds—in hues of pink, blue, green, or even black—are prized for their rarity and individuality.
The CountryClubuk Diamond Standard
At CountryClubuk, our jewellery reflects only the finest standards:
Colour: We most often use F grade diamonds—among the top three “collection” colours (D, E, F).
Clarity: Our standard is VS clarity, where inclusions are invisible to the naked eye and only detectable under magnification.
Consistency: For bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and rings, we ensure exceptional uniformity across stones.
These specifications ensure that our diamonds meet or exceed the standards of many international luxury brands—while offering them at our members’ exclusive CountryClubuk prices.
Explore Diamonds at CountryClubuk
If you’re considering a diamond purchase, explore our collection or book a consultation with our Hatton Garden jeweller.
Call us: 020 7399 2960
See more diamond jewellery at exclusive CountryClubuk best prices, please click here.
Click here to visit the GIA website for details of their certified stones.
PLEASE READ: CountryClubuk Club Rules and Terms and Conditions