DIAMOND EDUCATION
Know What You Are Buying
We believe an informed customer makes a better decision. Every guide here was written to give you the knowledge we carry into every consultation.
From First Look to Yes
The RoadmapThe Buying Guide
Seven decisions stand between you and the proposal: budget, shape, stone, setting, metal, size and timing. Taken in the right order, none of them is difficult.
Read Guide →
The Moment Itself
PlanningProposal Ideas
Where to ask, when to ask and how to keep the secret. Ideas for London, at home and abroad, with the ring size, timing and travel covered.
Read Guide →
The Foundation
Start HereThe 4Cs
Cut, Colour, Clarity, Carat. Understanding these four grades is the single most important thing you can do before buying a diamond.
Read Guide →
Know Your Options
EssentialNatural vs Lab Diamonds
Both are real diamonds. The difference is in origin, price, and the story they carry. We give you the unvarnished truth.
Read Guide →
Beyond Diamonds
Coloured StonesGemstone Guide
Sapphires, rubies, emeralds and fancy yellow diamonds. How the great coloured stones form, where the finest come from, and how to choose one that lasts a lifetime.
Read Guide →
Setting the Stage
PracticalMetal Guide
Platinum, 18k white gold, yellow gold, rose gold — each has a different character, durability profile, and price point.
Read Guide →
Get It Right
Before You BuyRing Size Guide
The most common engagement ring mistake is the wrong size. Here is how to measure correctly — and what to do if you guess.
Read Guide →
The Paper Trail
TrustOur Certification
GIA, IGI, HRD. What the certificates mean, why they matter, and why we never sell an uncertified stone.
Read Guide →
Protect Your Investment
After PurchaseCare Guide
A ring made to last a lifetime needs to be looked after. Our complete guide to cleaning, storing, and maintaining your jewellery.
Read Guide →
Choosing the Metal
CompareGold vs Platinum
Colour, weight, how each one wears over decades and what it costs. The honest comparison, and which metal suits which stone and which hand.
Read Guide →
The Silhouette
ShapesDiamond Shape Guides
Round, oval, cushion, emerald, pear, princess, radiant, marquise, Asscher and heart. A full guide to each, from proportions to settings.
Read Guide →
Beyond the 4Cs
In DepthThe Finer Points
Anatomy, fluorescence, inclusions, GIA vs IGI, the one carat diamond, moissanite, old mine cuts, warm diamonds and the mistakes to avoid.
Read Guide →
The Ring Itself
RingsRing Guides
Designing your own, fit and resizing, which hand, vintage styles, stacking, men’s and eternity rings, and living with a ring every day.
Read Guide →
Trends for 2027
NewLab-Grown Diamond Trends
Bigger stones, elongated shapes, antique-style cuts, warm and fancy colours. What lab-grown has changed about the rings couples choose.
Read Guide →
The Setting
DesignEngagement Ring Settings
Solitaire, cathedral, bezel, halo, pavé, three stone and toi et moi. How each one looks, wears and sits beside a wedding band.
Read Guide →
The Budget
PlanningHow Much to Spend
Why the three months’ salary rule was an advert, where the money goes, and six ways to more ring for the same budget.
Read Guide →
The Second Ring
WeddingWedding Band Guide
Straight or shaped, court or D-shape, plain or eternity. How to choose a band that lives well beside the engagement ring.
Read Guide →
Where It Comes From
TrustEthical Sourcing
The Kimberley Process, the System of Warranties, lab-grown and coloured stones, metal, and how we source the stones in our rings.
Read Guide →
The Mark of the Metal
TrustUK Hallmarks Explained
What the tiny marks inside a ring mean, when the law requires them, and how to read 750, 950 and the assay office marks.
Read Guide →
GO DEEPER
One Thing at a Time
The guides above cover the whole decision. These take a single part of it and go all the way down.
The Silhouette
Diamond Shapes
Round, oval, emerald, pear and the rest — how each shape wears on the hand, and which flatters which finger.
The Weight
Carat
Carat is weight, not size. Why a well-cut 0.90ct can look larger than a poorly cut 1.00ct, and where the price jumps sit.
The Grade
Colour
D to Z, and why we stop at H. Where the eye genuinely stops telling the difference, and what you are paying for above it.
The Inclusions
Diamond Clarity
What an inclusion actually is, which grades are invisible to the eye, and why our floor for natural stones is VS2.
The Sparkle
Diamond Cut
The only C decided by a person rather than the earth, and the one that makes a diamond sparkle. Not the same thing as shape.
The Paperwork
Certificates
GIA, IGI and HRD compared, what each document actually certifies, and how to read the one that comes with your stone.
The Alternative
Lab Grown Diamonds
How HPHT and CVD stones are grown, how they are graded, and the honest case for and against choosing one.
The Setting
Precious Metals
Platinum against 18k white, yellow and rose gold — how each wears over decades, and which suits which skin tone and stone.
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
Ask Us Directly
Bring your question to a private appointment in central London, or ask it by video. Consultations are always complimentary.
Book a Consultation