Shirley Paris Jewellery- 32 Union Street - Larkhall Lanarkshire Scotland ML9 1DR Tel. 01698 768085 or Email Shirley Paris

"This is just a wee note to thank you very much for the time and effort you spent on my ring- I'm delighted with it. Everyone has admired it !" Thanks again, Lynsey and Gary.

Jewellery background education information from Shirley Paris- The 4 C's.

When setting out to purchase a piece of diamond jewellery, it helps to understand the basic factors which affect the quality and price of your diamond. The four factors are COLOUR, CLARITY, CUT and CARAT weight.

We are sometimes asked- Is bigger always better ?

The answer is NO. Given the choice between a larger 'yellow' diamond with lots of inclusions, compared with a smaller, white diamond with better clarity, it's better to opt for quality rather than quantity. This is particularly relevant for important pieces of diamond jewellery like engagement rings.

1. Diamond Colour- The less colour, the better (and more expensive) the diamond.*

Diamond colour is graded on a scale of D to S, with D representing 'colourless' through to S, representing Very Light colour (yellow). CLICK HERE for more about diamond colour.

2. Diamond Clarity- The higher the clarity, the better (and more expensive) the diamond.

Almost all diamonds have naturally occurring minute crystals, cleavages and small impurities called inclusions. Diamond clarity is graded on a scale range from Flawless (F) through VS to Inclusions (I). CLICK HERE for more about diamond clarity.

3. Diamond Cut- There are several shapes of diamond available, the most popular being Brilliant Cut.

Other cuts are baguette cut, emerald cut, marquise cut, pear, heart and the Princess cut. CLICK HERE for more about diamond cut.

4. Diamond Carat weight- A Carat is 200 milligrams in weight.

Carat is a measure of weight- A carat is divided into 100 points, so that a 1/2 carat diamond can also be referred to as a 50 point diamond. As the carat weight increases, the price increases dramatically. For example, a 100 point diamond might cost three times as much as a 50 point diamond, all other factors (colour, clarity and cut) being equal. CLICK HERE for more about diamond carat weight.

* There are also some other colours of diamonds, such as pink, brown, green and even black, called 'fancies', which are quite rare and therefore more expensive.

More jewellery background education information from Shirley Paris

Palladium is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal that was discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston, who named it palladium after the asteroid Pallas . Palladium and Platinum are part of a group of elements referred to as the platinum group metals (PGMs). Platinum group metals share similar chemical properties, but palladium has the lowest melting point and is the least dense of these precious metal. Palladium itself has been used as a precious metal in jewelry since 1939, as an alternative to platinum or white gold . This is due to its naturally white properties, giving it no need for rhodium plating. It is slightly whiter, much lighter and about 12% harder than platinum.

Palladium is one of the three most popular metals used to alloy with gold, making white gold. [11] ( Nickel and silver can also be used.) Palladium-gold is a more expensive alloy than nickel-gold, but it's naturally hypoallergenic and holds its white color better.

When platinum was declared a strategic government resource during World War II , many jewellery bands were made out of palladium. As recently as September 2001, palladium was more expensive than platinum and rarely used in jewellery also due to the technical obstacle of casting. However the casting problem has been resolved, and its use in jewelry has increased because of a large spike in the price of platinum and a drop in the price of palladium.

The popularity of Palladium jewelry is expected to grow in 2008 as the world's biggest producers embark on a joint marketing effort to promote Palladium jewellery worldwide.

Platinum's wear- and tarnish-resistance characteristics are well suited for making fine jewelry . Platinum is more precious than gold . The price of platinum changes along with its availability, but its price is normally more than twice the price of gold. It has a naturally white lustre that helps to reflect the true brilliance of diamonds. It keeps its pure white colour for a lifetime and is hypoallergenic. If all the platinum ever mined was poured into an Olympic swimming pool, it would be scarcely enough to cover your ankles.

Platinum is more durable than other metals, and is heat and acid resistant. Platinum does not wear away and holds precious stones securely.

White gold is an alloy of gold and at least one white metal, usually nickel or palladium. Like yellow gold, the purity of white gold is given in carats (karats).

White gold's properties vary depending on the metals and proportions used. As a result, white gold alloys can be used for different purposes; while a nickel alloy is hard and strong, and therefore good for rings and pins, gold-palladium alloys are soft, pliable and good for white gold gemstone settings.

The highest quality white gold is usually at least 18 karat, and made up of gold and palladium, sometimes with other metals like copper, silver and platinum for weight and durability, although this often requires specialized goldsmiths.

While some higher-quality white gold alloys retain their shine and lustre, most will be coated with a very thin layer of rhodium. This gives the naturally more-dull white gold a shine comparable to platinum or silver; however the rhodium may wear off over time.

CLICK here to return to top of page.

1. Diamond Colour- The less colour, the better (and more expensive) the diamond.

Diamonds graded D, E or F are considered 'Exceptional to Rare White'. It is extremely difficult to distinguish between the very subtle differences in these colour grades, as in the face-up position D, E and F diamonds all appear colourless. Diamonds in the G, H, I and J color range are considered 'White to Slightly Tinted White". They have very subtle traces of colour when viewed face-down, but generally appear colourless when viewed face-up. Diamonds in the K, L and M range are regarded as 'Tinted White". These diamonds show faint colour in both the face-down and face-up positions. Diamonds in the N through S range are considered 'Tinted Colour ' and have noticeable colour in both the face-down and face-up positions.

CLICK here to return to top of page.

2. Diamond Clarity- The higher the clarity, the better (and more expensive) the diamond.

Diamonds, like all natural materials, have natural blemishes in their make-up. These tiny faults, or inclusions, are formed by minerals or fractures while the diamond was forming in the earth over millions of years. When light enters a diamond, it is reflected and refracted out. If there is anything disrupting the flow of light in the diamond, such as an inclusion, a proportion of the light reflected will be lost.

diamond clarity grading chart

Click Here for BACK TO TOP OF PAGE.

3. Diamond Cut- There are several shapes of diamond available, the most popular being Brilliant Cut.

The Brilliant Cut is a round shape, which has 57 facets, each designed to maximise the total reflection of light. Much of a diamond's brilliance is controlled by the quality of it's cut (proportions, polish, and symmetry). Subtle and minute dimensional differences, perhapes even of half a millimeter or less, can make the difference between a truly brilliant diamond and one which is rather dull and listless.

Although the brilliant cut is the most common, there are several other shapes available, such as emerald cut, pear, heart, oval and marquise, as shown in the diagram below-

Click Here for BACK TO TOP OF PAGE.

4. Diamond Carat weight- A Carat is 200 milligrams in weight.

The Chart below shows an APPROXIMATION of the relative size and carat weight of Brilliant cut diamonds. Please note that the size displayed on your screen may vary depending of screen size and pixel resolution !

Click Here for BACK TO TOP OF PAGE.