Buying a Diamond

Cut. Carat. Colour. Clarity – these 4 Cs guarantee diamond quality and are crucial factors when you are considering buying any diamond.

The Cut

This refers to the angle and proportion of the stone. Precision incisions allow maximum light to reflect off the facets. Imagine the facets are tiny mirrors bouncing light from angle to angle, beaming from the top and catching your eye. Cut to shallow, a diamond will lose its lustre. The Cut also includes the shape and weight of the diamond. A Round shape is considered the most brilliant shape of them all as it absorbs and reflects the most light, optimising the intensity of the stone.

The Carat

Diamonds are measured and weighed in carats with 1 carat representing .2 grams. The carat was traditionally measured against the carab seed, which were almost always the same size and weight allowing diamond traders to accurately evaluate their stock.
As larger diamonds are mined less frequently, a 1 carat diamond will fetch a higher purchase price than two 0.5 carat diamonds provided all other characteristics are the same.

The Colour

The colour of a diamond is graded from D to Z. The more colourless a stone, the more valuable it is. D, E and F represent truly colourless stones with the highest quality – making them considerably rare. Gradings from K to M have a slight hint of colour and as you go down the scale you’ll notice subtle colour changes in hue and tone. While the colourless stones are rare and valuable, coloured diamonds are even more exceptional. Called Fancy Diamonds, these stones are the most difficult to find and expensive to buy.

The Clarity

When diamonds are extracted, tiny traces of natural elements are sometimes caught inside, called inclusions. When polishing the diamond, the aim is always to reduce the number of flaws or impurities in the stone. The clarity inclusions fall into a number of categories:

IF – Internally flawless
LC – Loupe clean meaning that there are no flaws in the surface or internally
VVS 1 & 2 – Very, very small inclusion one and two has minute inclusions that are absolutely invisible to the naked eye and only through careful inspection with a microscope are revealed.
VS 1 & 2 - Very small inclusion one and two may show tiny inclusions that are difficult to locate and are only visible to a trained eye looking through a 10x loupe can pinpoint the inclusions.
S 1 & 2 – Small inclusions one and two are flaws that are easily identified through a 10x loupe.
I1 & P1 – Lightly spotted are diamonds with inclusions that may or may not be visible to the naked eye.
I2 & P2 - Spotted (no definition provided)
I3 & P3 – Very spotted (no definition provided)

For a visual aid to Cut, Carat, Colour and Clarity, please view our Grading chart

Click on the image above to view the full chart of the 4Cs - Cut, Carat, Colour, Clarity

The 5th C describes the Conscientious Diamond. All Cullinan Diamond Mine stone’s are from reputable sources and mined conscientiously, with respect to the land that it comes from and the people that participate in its extraction. Cullinan diamonds are coupled with an internationally recognised laboratory certificate that guarantees the quality of carat, the authenticity of the colour and clarity grades, as well as the endorsement of a diamond that is conflict-free.

Your skin’s natural oils can alter the diamond’s shine so try not man-handle the stone often.
Clean your diamond with an ammonia-based household cleaner, such as window cleaner, at least twice a week, overnight. Brush the front and back of the diamond lightly the next morning with a soft, clean toothbrush. Fragile settings and estate jewellery are more sensitive to brushing. Instead, rinse the stone with water and wipe with a soft, lint-free cloth.
Take your diamonds off when you’re doing rough work; it can chip with a hard blow.
Keep your diamonds clear of contact with chlorine bleach as it can damage and discolour the mounting.
Take your diamonds to a respected jeweller for thorough cleaning.

Cullinan Star Cut diamonds are round cut, with exceptional clarity and are available in various carats, for more information on purchasing please contact us.

Spring Refreshing

Spring cleaning time is upon us, even your jewellery needs refreshing.
If you own diamond jewellery such as earrings, pendants, or rings, you can keep these precious items for longer than your lifetime if you take care of them. Proper, and frequent, cleaning and storage will help your diamond jewellery stay beautiful for years to come.
Diamond stones attract dirt and oil products. Your diamond jewellery accumulates dirt and oil build-up after a while. This build-up results from everyday products such as hand lotions, hair styling products, dust, and even perspiration. If you never clean your diamond jewellery, the build-up will finally turn into gunk on the back of your jewellery or stone. The build-up is usually not noticeable for a while, but before you know it, it has stolen the sparkle from the jewellery leaving your diamond looking dull and dirty. You can clean diamond jewellery at home or have a professional clean it for you.
Some homemade cleaning tips:

Soft Detergent Treatment

Clean the diamond. Use a soft brush, mild soap and warm water. If you do not possess a special brush for cleaning jewellery you can use an eyebrow or even a lipstick brush - these are soft, small and acceptable.
Before you start cleaning, make a mix of warm-to-hot water and a mild detergent. Then place jewellery in the mixture. Always use a mild cleanser to clean your diamond. Jewellery stores use diluted ammonia to clean with. The heat in the water will loosen up any oils on the stone.
Soak it for a few minutes and then scrub with a brush. An old toothbrush works best. Make sure to get under the stone as this is where the dirt and oils will gather.
Rinse. To rinse the diamond jewellery you can use a sieve.
After the cleaning use a clean cloth to dry the jewellery.

Vodka Diamond Treatment

For those of you who want bright, sparkly and spot-free diamond jewellery, vodka is your new best friend. Unflavoured, clear and inexpensive vodka has been proven to be the ideal jewellery cleaner for diamonds set in platinum. These easy to follow steps will give u the best results:

Pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup or more of undiluted vodka, covering the jewellery item, into a glass cup or bowl.
Place the item gently into the vodka and allow soaking for between 10 - 60 minutes depending on the degree of soil and build-up.
Lift the item out of the vodka after soaking and scrub with a soft child's toothbrush under and around the stone and setting to lift any remaining debris
Place the item back into the vodka to rinse by gently swirling or agitating the items.
Remove the jewellery and air dry on a clean soft, lint free cloth.

Rinsing with water is not required as vodka is a fairly impurity free liquid with no sweeteners or dyes.
Warning: Drinking that glass of vodka is not advisable.