Diamonds 101 - The Carrie Elizabeth Diamond Guide

Despite there being more information than ever about buying diamonds, it can still feel like an intimidating task.

Perhaps it’s because the more grading and quality information you take in, the more you move away from why diamonds are so beloved in the first place: their unmatched life and beauty!

There’s so much to know about this incredible stone, from its properties and symbolism to quality and cost. It can feel like if only you knew the right formula, understanding what a ‘good’ diamond is would be easy. But the perfect diamond is the diamond that’s right for you, and that goes beyond the 4Cs.

That’s where our Diamonds 101 comes in. Designed to cover all the bases in a straightforward way, we’re here to show that finding a diamond for real-life wear can be a breeze!

Whether you’re choosing a diamond engagement ring, a meaningful gift or a forever-piece to wear every day, these are the things I wish everyone knew before choosing a diamond...

Why diamonds?

There really is nothing quite like a diamond. Diamonds refract and reflect light in a very specific way, which is why they have fire (rainbow sparkles) and brilliance (bright, white flashes) unlike any other stone.

A high refractive index and ability to disperse light are what create that unmistakable, lively glitter. At 10 on the Mohs scale (the measure of a mineral’s hardness), diamonds are also the most scratch-resistant of all gemstones, meaning they’re perfect for ‘everyday and forever’ wear.

These properties aren't just practical, though. Thanks to their hardness, clarity and light, diamonds have long symbolised enduring love, strength and eternity.

So they’re incredibly durable, beautifully symbolic and unbeatable for sparkle. That’s why diamonds are so loved, especially for jewellery designed to be worn often and kept for years.

Natural, lab-created and simulants - what's the difference?

Diamonds are one of the most rare and therefore most valuable gemstones. For that reason, people sometimes turn to alternative choices if a diamond isn’t within budget.

Diamond simulants are stones that look similar to diamonds but are not diamonds in composition. Cubic zirconia (CZ) and moissanite are the most well-known. Both offer incredible sparkle at a very different price point. Moissanite in particular, is a beautiful option for larger stones — it’s a gorgeous gemstone with impressive fire, and is the closest you’ll get to diamond-like sparkle without choosing a diamond.

Then there are colourless gemstone alternatives like white sapphire or white topaz. These stones don’t have exactly the same brilliance as a diamond, but are still gorgeously sparkling and have their own beautiful symbolism.

Being significantly more affordable than diamonds, these stones are beautiful paired with diamonds in larger or more intricate designs, achieving a luxe finish at a more accessible price point. (Where we do this, you’ll always find it clearly described!)

Lab-created diamonds are where things get really interesting…

Sometimes touted as an alternative to natural diamonds, lab diamonds are actually real diamonds in every way. They have the same physical, chemical and optical properties as mined diamonds — they’re simply created in a laboratory rather than in the earth.

Being created ‘above ground’ means lab diamonds can be sourced without mining. Many people consider lab diamonds a more ethical and environmentally conscious option — although all our diamonds, whether natural or lab-created, are responsibly sourced in line with our sustainability promises.

Because lab diamonds don’t require mining, they are usually more affordable than natural diamonds. Choosing a lab-created diamond, especially for a larger piece like an engagement ring or solitaire, can mean getting a higher colour or clarity for the same (or lower) price.

That’s why we love using lab-created diamonds, especially in significant pieces like engagement rings. Allowing us to use the most beautiful quality and still achieve an incredible price, they’re the most exciting thing to happen in the industry in the last decade!

Diamond quality: the 4Cs

As with most gemstones, the appearance of a diamond can vary from stone to stone. Most of the factors that make up a diamond’s appearance come under the 4Cs: cut, colour, clarity and carat.

Here’s what each one means:

Cut
Cut can refer to both the shape of a diamond and how well it has been shaped and faceted. The cut of a diamond affects sparkle more than anything else!

Grades range from Excellent/Ideal down to Poor, and are determined by how well a stone meets specific proportions for each shape.

Within multiple shape options, there are two main facet styles — brilliant cuts, like round and princess stones, or step cuts like emeralds or baguette. Brilliant cuts, as the name suggests, are cut for ultimate sparkle, while step cuts are a little more subtle, their long, geometric facets showing off the colour and quality of your stone.

Colour
Colour refers to how much colour a diamond ‘draws’, graded from D (colourless) through to Z (noticeably tinted with brown or yellow).

D - F grades are ‘colourless’, and G - I ‘near colourless’. Most people will start to notice a slight tint around ‘I’. Diamond colour colour shifts very subtly, only really noticeable if you line up stones next to each other.

While white diamonds are the most prized, champagne and chocolate diamonds are also hugely popular, and look gorgeous set in yellow or rose gold.

Fancy colour diamonds are stones with very strong or vivid colour, and come in a full spectrum of colours. Fancy diamonds are very rare, and very expensive!

Clarity
Clarity refers to the presence of internal or external imperfections, known as inclusions and blemishes. Stones are graded from Flawless (FL) through to Included (I).

Carat
Carat refers to the weight of the diamond. A 1.00ct stone is larger than a 0.50ct stone of the same cut, but the ‘spread’ of the stone (exactly how big the diamond is, side to side) is affected by the cut and the shape.

Beyond the 4Cs

Together, these factors largely determine a diamond’s cost. But while the 4Cs are useful, they don’t tell the whole story.

In reality, diamond quality is surprisingly subjective. Two diamonds with the same grades on paper can look very different in real life. Sparkle, fire and personality matter just as much as technical scores.

That’s why we choose diamonds by eye as well as by grade. We look for stones that are beautifully cut, lively and full of brilliance — because that’s what you actually see when you wear them.

You’ll see our diamond specs sometimes differ between lines, and that’s because we always pick the most beautiful and balanced option for each individual product. By looking past qualities that sound significant on paper but aren’t really necessary in a given situation, we can make this luxurious, beautiful stone surprisingly affordable!

People sometimes imagine lab created diamonds must all be colourless and flawless, like a CZ, but this isn’t the case. Lab diamonds grow just like natural diamonds, although in very different conditions. For this reason, the same chemical processes cause lab diamonds to have inclusions and draw colour just like natural diamonds do.

In short, every real diamond is unique.

Diamond choice is personal

While having a totally colourless, totally flawless stone sounds incredible (and is!), diamond grades are set by what a specialist grader can see in a stone under 10x magnification.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t spend much time looking at my personal jewellery through a loupe, even as a jeweller!

What matters most to me is how jewellery looks on the body, to the naked eye. In diamond terminology, there’s a word for that: eye-clean — meaning inclusions aren’t visible without magnification. An SI2 'Slightly Included' diamond has imperfections that an expert can quite easily see through magnification, but most diamonds of this grade will appear clear when viewed with the naked eye.

So, diamonds in lifestyle pieces like earrings, eternity bands or pavé settings don’t need to be the same clarity as a large centre stone. At that scale, inclusions simply aren’t visible.

What does matter is cut and overall quality. A well-cut stone will sparkle beautifully, even at a smaller size. Prioritising this is how we’re able to create pieces that look luxurious and full of light, while still keeping them affordable.

Salt and pepper diamonds

We love salt and pepper diamonds! Like all diamonds, salt and pepper diamonds are a symbol of love, but they also tell a story of individuality and beauty. They’re perfect for people who like jewellery with a subtle point of difference.

Named for the black and white inclusions that naturally occur within the stone, every salt and pepper diamond is completely one-of-a-kind. Each stone has a different amount and arrangement of these inclusions, meaning no two are ever the same.

Some salt and pepper stones are darker, some lighter, some have a soft champagne tone. They’re full of character, and this makes them feel modern and irresistibly cool.

Salt and pepper diamonds aren’t graded in the same way as white diamonds. Their value and beauty comes from their unique inclusions, not despite their flaws, so they’re best taken at face value!

Ethical diamonds, always

And finally - you can be assured all of our diamonds are Kimberley Process certified, meaning they are conflict-free.

We work only with trusted partners who meet this standard, so you can be confident your jewellery has been created responsibly, with respect for the people involved at every stage.