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Diamonds Explained Without the Jargon
Diamond is the classic choice for engagement rings and many wedding bands because it combines brilliance, durability and symbolism. It is hard, bright, versatile, and suited to everyday jewellery when set well.
But diamond is not one single look. A round brilliant feels crisp and bright. An emerald cut feels elegant and architectural. An old mine cut feels romantic and antique. A salt-and-pepper diamond feels earthy and distinctive. A yellow diamond feels warm and joyful. A lab-grown diamond can offer impressive size and specification within a more accessible budget.
The single most useful thing to understand is that diamonds should not be judged by carat weight alone. Two diamonds of the same carat can look entirely different in size, sparkle, colour and beauty. Cut, proportions and shape often matter more than the number printed on the report.
Four Routes
The Main Diamond Choices
None is more correct than the others. Which one suits depends on whether you value rarity, size, colour or character most.
Natural White Diamonds
Traditional, rare and geologically formed. The classic route when rarity and tradition matter most, with an established secondary market. Browse natural diamonds.
Lab-Grown Diamonds
Real diamonds grown in a controlled environment, chemically and optically identical to mined stones. Often considerably more size for the budget. Browse lab-grown.
Fancy Coloured Diamonds
Diamonds with noticeable colour: yellow, champagne, cognac, pink, blue, green or black. All share diamond's hardness. Browse coloured diamonds.
Character Diamonds
Salt-and-pepper, included, antique-cut or unusual diamonds chosen for individuality rather than grading. Every one is unique. Browse salt and pepper.
The Section
Eight Guides to Diamonds
Read them in order, or jump to whichever question you actually have.
- The grading
The Four Cs
Cut, colour, clarity and carat, and which of them you can compromise on without anyone noticing. Read the guide.
- The look
Diamond Shapes
Round, oval, emerald, pear and the rest, and how shape changes both spread and price. Read the guide.
- The origin
Natural vs Lab-Grown
What is actually different, what is identical, and the honest position on value. Read the guide.
- Colour
Fancy Coloured Diamonds
Yellow, champagne, cognac, pink, blue and black, and what drives their rarity. Read the guide.
- Colour
Lab-Grown Fancy Colour
Vivid colour at a fraction of the natural price, and where it makes most sense. Read the guide.
- Alternatives
Diamond Alternatives
Moissanite, white sapphire and the others, compared honestly on hardness and look. Read the guide.
- Paperwork
Certificates and Reports
What a grading report does and does not tell you, and which laboratories to trust. Read the guide.
- Provenance
Ethical and Responsible Sourcing
The Kimberley Process, recycled metals, and what we can and cannot document. Read the guide.
Independent Grading
The Laboratories We Trust
Strictly speaking, laboratories issue grading reports rather than certificates. A report describes the stone; it does not guarantee its value.
- GIAGemological Institute of America
- IGIInternational Gemological Institute
- AGLFor important coloured stones
- GRSFor important coloured stones
- SSEFFor important coloured stones
Every individual lab-grown centre stone we supply comes with its own grading report.
Our Commitment
Guaranteed Conflict-Free
All natural diamonds supplied by For Your Eternity are guaranteed conflict-free, adhering strictly to the Kimberley Process certification scheme and to ethical supply-chain standards. We use recycled and responsibly sourced precious metals as our standard approach.
Every stone is sourced after you have told us cut, colour, clarity, carat, report and origin. Nothing is bought in bulk to clear, which means we can almost always find a better stone for your budget than a stock-led retailer.
The Diamond and Gemstone Guide
Free Download
The Diamond and Gemstone Guide
Our long-form reference for stones: the Four Cs properly explained, shapes, natural against lab-grown, fancy colour, coloured gemstones stone by stone, treatments, durability and grading reports.