We decline more stones than we buy. This is what a diamond has to do before we will set it.
A certificate describes a diamond. It does not tell you how it behaves in a room.
Grading happens under controlled light, against a fixed background, by someone who will never see the stone again. We see it in daylight, under lamplight and in shadow, on a hand, next to its alternatives, before we agree to anything.
The Standard
Six tests, every stone
01
Alive in three lights
Daylight by the window, warm lamplight, and low ambient light. A stone that only performs under a jeweller’s spotlight is not a stone you will enjoy.
02
Eye-clean at arm’s length
Whatever the clarity grade says, we look with the naked eye at normal distance. If an inclusion is findable without a loupe, the stone is declined.
03
Even across the table
No dark centre, no bow-tie, no window through the pavilion. Light should be distributed across the face rather than pooling in one region.
04
Cut for beauty, not weight
We check proportions and total depth against the shape. Stones cut deep to hold weight on paper are turned down however well they grade.
05
Honest on the hand
Seen on a hand, next to its alternatives, at the same weight. This is where the decision is actually made, so it is where we test.
06
Documented and traceable
Independent report, stated origin, and a supplier we can name to you. Anything missing means the stone does not proceed.
What We Will Tell You
Including when to spend less.
If a smaller stone with a better cut is the stronger buy, we will say so, including when it reduces what you spend with us.
If a certificate flatters a stone, we will tell you which line is doing the flattering and what it means in the hand.
If a lab-grown stone serves your intention better than a natural one, we will recommend it, and the reverse.
If nothing we have is right for you yet, we will ask you to wait rather than settle. Stones arrive weekly.
See the difference in person.
We will show you a stone that passes and a stone that does not, side by side, and let you decide whether we are being fussy.
We use essential cookies to make our site work. With your permission, we would also like to use optional cookies to understand how the site is used and to measure our marketing. Nothing optional is set unless you choose.
