Diamonds
We also sell a variety of loose diamonds in our shop. The majority of our diamonds over 0.5 ct are GIA (Gemological Institute of America) certified, otherwise we provide a certificate from another internationally recognised and reputable institution (e.g. HRD). Integrity is highly important to us and, therefore, our partners are all reliable companies and we only purchase diamonds from ethical sources.
In addition to the loose diamonds we have in stock, we source diamonds upon special requests from our partners in Antwerp, based on our customers' requirements. Come to us for a consultation where we will provide detailed information and educate you about diamonds. We invite you to view our high quality gemstones with different shapes, sizes and colours.
Are you looking to certify your existing diamond? We are happy to help, being contracted partners of the GIA, the world's most recognised diamond grading institute.
If you have any further questions or would like to make an appointment with our GIA qualified diamond expert, please don't hesitate to contact us.
What you must know when buying a diamond
Did you know that the value of a diamond with the same weight can range from a few dozen dollars to more than a million? The value of our most precious stone is not only defined by its size and carat weight, but by its colour, clarity and cut as well. In addition to these basic parameters, there are other, less known factors, such as whether the diamond fluoresces under UV light or whether the stone has been artificially treated. Is also makes a big difference what certification it comes with - some grading institutions are much less reputable and their certification can be misleading. Specifically, if an institution "upgrades" a diamond compared to, for example, the standards of the GIA as the benchmark, a good value for money is just an illusion. In reality, that particular diamond has weaker parameters in GIA standards than indicated on the certificate. The price of a diamond is also influenced by market demand and supply conditions for a certain size, colour or shape, but its value is relatively stable, large price fluctuations are rare.
As mentioned earlier, the value of a polished diamond is based on the 4C’s, assuming that all other parameters are graded excellent and the gemstone has no fluorescence:
COLOUR
CLARITY
CARAT
CUT
COLORLESS
NEAR COLORLESS
FAINT YELLOW
LIGHT YELLOW
YELLOW
4C = The color of the diamond
In general, the whiter (more precisely colorless) a diamond, the more valuable it is. The colour of a diamond generally ranges from white to yellow and is defined by letters of the alphabet where D represents colourless and Z stands for yellow. D-H stones are all considered colourless in face up position, while I and J already show a slight amount of colour, especially when viewed face down against a perfectly white background. These are followed by more yellowish tones. There are also other classifications such as River> Top Wesselton> Wesselton> Top Crystal> Crystal> Top Cape> Cape, etc., where River indicates exceptionally white/colorless, Wesselton indicates white, and Cape indicates yellowish.
Diamonds can appear in plenty of colours from red through pink to blue and green or vivid yellow. These are called "fancy colour diamonds" and their value is difficult to define, as they represent significance for collectors and individuals. The rarer a natural colour or hue, the more valuable it is. It is important to mention that coloured diamonds are often treated stones that have a different value than natural coloured diamonds. The latter may be worth significantly more than their colourless counterpart. In addition to white diamonds, brown and black diamonds are the most common and accessible, and their combination can look very attractive on a piece of jewelry.
4C = Clarity
The clarity of diamonds is assessed under a 10x magnification by professional qualifiers with sufficient experience. Inclusions visible under such magnifications determine the purity of the diamond, while the ones that are not visible under 10x magnifications are not considered in the grading. The inclusions can be of different colours, the most unfavourable being black and ideally they are transparent. They are also varied in shape, they can be granular, needle-shaped, etc. The clarity grading of a diamond is determined by the size, amount, location, and intensity of the inclusions. The cleaner the stone, the rarer and more valuable it is. Although the inclusions fundamentally degrade the quality of the diamond, they also give the stone a character, and can indicate whether the gem is natural.
A gemstone with smaller inclusions that are difficult to find under a magnifying glass can still be of very high quality and thus represent excellent value for money.
The best clarity rating of a diamond is FL or IF when no inclusions are visible in the stone under 10x magnification. VVS and VS are considered to be of excellent clarity, while in most cases SI-rated stones still do not contain inclusions that are visible to the naked eye. However, the I rating already indicates imperfection with visible inclusions, which significantly reduces the value of the stones.
FL – IF = ‘Flawless or Internally Flawless' - No inclusions visible under 10x magnification.
VVS1 – VVS2 = ‘Very Very Small inclusions' - Inclusions so slight they are difficult for a skilled grader to see under 10x magnification.
VS1 – VS2 = ‘Very Small inclusions' - Inclusions are observed with effort under 10x magnification, but can be characterized as minor.
SI1 – SI2 = ‘Small inclusions’ - Inclusions are noticeable under 10x magnification.
I1; I2 – I3 = ‘Imperfect’ - Inclusions are obvious under 10x magnification which may affect transparency and brilliance.
4C = Carat
Carat (ct) is the measure used for defining the weight of precious stones. 1 ct = 0.2 g (Not to be mixed up with the karat purity of gold!) The price of diamonds is usually given in carats. The "value per carat" of diamonds rises exponentially with their increasing weight, as larger stones are rarer in nature than smaller ones. Thus, the price of a diamond (with the same colour, clarity, and cut grades) jumps if it exceeds the 0.5ct, 1ct, 1.5ct, 2ct, 3ct, etc. limits.
4C = Cut
The cut of a diamond determines how effectively the stone can return light, and thus, how much sparkle it has. Therefore, it is often considered as the most important parameter from the 4C's. An excellent cut diamond will appear very brilliant and fiery, while poorly cut stones can appear dark and lifeless, regardless of their colour or clarity. From the various diamond shapes, round (brilliant) cut diamonds have the strongest sparkle, which is based on precise measurements of the optimal light reflection of the facets. It is not only the shape of the diamond but, no less importantly, the quality of the cut that makes a difference, depending on the precision of the angle measurements, as well as the stone's symmetry, and the quality of the polishing. The best rating for a round diamond is “triple ex”, i.e. EX-EX-EX, when the diamond is given an “excellent” rating for all three cut parameters. These stones have the strongest brilliance and fire, typically resulting in a price premium.
There are also other “fancy” forms of diamond cuts, such as princess cut (square), emerald cut (rectangular), pear shape or heart shape, to name just a few. With the same carat weight and colour and clarity parameters, the value of fancy cut diamonds is typically lower than that of a brilliant cut stone.
CUT TOO DEEP
CUT TOO SHALLOW
PERFECT PROPORTIONS
Pricing of diamonds based on the Rapaport list
The market value of diamonds is indicated by the Rapaport list, accessible to industry professionals. The value is shown in the form of price grid matrices, each of them representing a different carat weight range, with a separate value per carat for each colour and clarity parameter. This value refers to stones with triple excellent cut, so it may be reduced by imperfections in the cut as well as the fluorescence of the stone. With the right information in hand, the market value of a diamond can accurately be determined by a gem expert, as long as the stone has a reliable, internationally accepted certificate, or the expert has extensive experience in diamond grading. Nevertheless, even experienced gem experts may mistake one or two parameters of a diamond compared to GIA's professional graders, who not only receive excessive training but also have the access to high-tech equipment and technology for diamond assessment. A small difference in grading can mean significant sums in the sale and purchase price of diamonds. Therefore, we highly recommend you to request a professional grading for diamonds over a certain size. Being registered partners of the GIA, we are happy to assist you with the certification process.
About diamond certificates
Although certificates are not obligatory, they serve as a guarantee for the quality of the stone purchased. You should only buy diamonds or diamond jewellery from reliable sources, or have them examined by a certified and experienced diamond expert. The certificate of a retailer serves as a personal guarantee, while only certificates issued by internationally recognised institutions (such as GIA or HRD) are commonly valued and accepted. As international certificates are quite pricey, they are usually provided for stones weighting more than 1 ct, but sometimes even for 0.4-0.5 ct. International certificates shall contain the definition of the stone, its shape and measurements, 4C qualities and other main properties, an illustration of its inclusions, the report number, date of issue, the name and hologram of the issuing institution and/or the stamp and signature of the issuer.
The value of a diamond can be affected by which institution issued its certificate. Although the certificate itself does not impact a diamond's qualities, some institutions are stricter than others, so they often define different parameters (e.g. colour and clarity) for the same stone. This is something industry professionals are aware of, so they may devaluate the Rapaport list price of a certain diamond based on its grading institute. For this reason, it is important that the retailer you are buying from provides adequate information about the stone. You should also note that certificates can be falsified, which only reinforces the careful choice of source for buying your gemstones.