Ok, so we all know the basic 4C’s. But there so much more to buying an engagement or any ring for that matter.

So how do you find the perfect stone for that perfect engagement ring or for any ring? No two diamonds are ever identical. They are as individual as people. The 4 Cs are churned out constantly, which is as far as most other jewellers will take you, if that even. But there’s so much more to consider when buying any diamond ring. Which is why Quincy goes further, and recommends you consider the 7 Cs:

Creativity

A beautiful stone deserves a beautiful setting, and how a stone is mounted can dramatically alter its appearance. Today design is important in every aspect of our lives and particularly in something we wear all the time. Multi-stone rings and elegantly themed designs are our speciality. Our designers, mounters, and setters are as skilled as they are inspired – after all they do work provide services to the best jewellers in the country, including Boodles and Stephen Webster to name a few. Our passion is to create a ring uniquely for you.

 
Cut

A diamond owes most of its beauty to nature. But it is the shape and skilfulness of the cut that determines that all-important sparkle-factor. Accuracy equals greater brilliance. Perfect proportions mean more dazzle. It’s all about capturing and refracting light. This diagram shows how:
 

 
Too Shallow: Light is lost out the bottom causing the diamond to lose brilliance.
Too deep: Light escapes out the sides causing the diamond to appear dark and dull.
Ideal proportions: Most light is contained and thrown back up.

‘Cut’ also refers simply to the stone’s shape. Most familiar is the round, brilliant-cut diamond. Princess, Emerald, Radiant, Oval and Asscher cuts are also perfect for engagement rings. For the record, Quincy believe cut to be paramount and thoroughly recommend reading our guide on Cut Quality.....It's Impact on Beauty and Price. It may be heavy reading so if you don't understand something please feel free to contact us and we'll help all we can. 

All our stones are rigorously vetted for brilliance and artistry. So whatever shape you choose, the choice will be dazzling.

Colour

Think of a diamond, and you imagine something pure, icy white. But in fact diamonds are graded from ‘D’ (colourless) to ‘Z’ (tinted). No one knows what happened to A, B and C. ‘D’ colour diamonds are often referred to as ‘exceptional’ white. This purity of colour is one of the things everyone can instantly spot - a flash of blue-white fire quite unlike anything else. Whilst there are exceptions to every rule, to give you an idea of the quality of Quincy diamonds, we only design our engagement rings around diamonds that are completely white to the eye. Further more, we only deal with colours from ‘D’ to ‘J’.

A general rule when choosing the diamond colour…………
If setting the diamond in a white colour metal such as platinum, it’s always best to choose colours ‘D’ to ‘G’. Since the white colour of the metal highlights the yellow of the diamond and from ‘I’ downwards the yellow becomes highly noticeable. While yellow gold hides the yellow of the diamond…..up to a certain degree.

Clarity

Every diamond is unique. Even those of identical cut, weight and colour grade might vary significantly in terms of clarity. Why is this? In the process of a diamond’s natural formation, other minerals or crystals might be present, which can disrupt the refraction of light through the stone. In extreme cases, a diamond can appear dull or mottled. At the other end of the spectrum is a perfectly clear, or ‘flawless’ diamond - most valuable because of its extreme rarity. All our diamonds are selected to be visually perfect to the naked eye. Even at ten times magnification, the ‘inclusions’ in such stones are barely discernible.

Certification

This is generally a good guide to the unique physical properties of diamonds. However, it should not be used as an indication of a diamond’s physical appeal (coming soon – our Certificates Explained guide). This is why, at Quincy, we reject many of the diamonds of appropriate certification when we see them. We always stress that a certificate should only be one small part of your choice. There’s no certificate on earth that will explain quite why she loves one ring more than any other. The majority of our diamonds are certified, from a 1/3 of a carat all the way to whatever to wish…………

QUINCY’S POLICY ON CONFLICT DIAMONDS

You may have heard the term 'conflict diamonds'. Our policy on conflict diamonds is absolutely rigorous. We will not buy, sell or handle any diamonds of unclear governance. We insist that all our suppliers subscribe to The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. We would rather not have blood on our hands, and feel neither should the customer.

 
Confidence

Dazzled by the science as much as the diamonds? Don’t be. Quincy jealously guards its reputation for fair dealing, honesty and service……our feedback says it all. Investing in diamond jewellery is an exciting but serious business. Whether you come back in a year, or at your golden wedding anniversary, we intend to be here to look after you. Rest assured, at Quincy you’re in safe hands.