Claridad Engagement Ring - Sold Out18k Yellow Gold / Salt & Pepper Diamond

Diamonds are measured in terms of weight not size, ‘Carat’ is the weight measurement of a precious stone, with one metric carat equalling to one fifth of a gram. Gem cutters will always analyse a diamond in its rough form and try to make sure they cut stones that retain the most carat weight.

Two diamonds of equal weight can still end up with different value, as the quality is determined by, colour, clarity and cut.

Diamond cutting began when Indian craftsmen found that by grinding diamonds together, they could create new depths of light and shimmering reflections. Modern technology can turn a raw diamond into any shape with maximum sparkle. A skillfully cut diamond creates brilliance, fire and scintillation - the three optical properties this gem has and its relationship with light.

Brilliance - The combined effect of all of the reflections of light on the facets internally and externally.

Fire - if the diamond is cut well, the interaction of white light and facets will produce fire showing all colours of the rainbow with red being the best colour you can get.

Scintillation - How well the diamond sparkles - no matter the angle of the piece.

The proportions and symmetry of facets have a dramatic take on how well light interacts and performs on a diamond. These are all small details that Zoe & Morgan take into consideration when designing the perfect ring for you.

When we refer to colour, we are referring to the diamond colour grading scale. D-F are the most desired colours, with D being colourless, and going down the scale to a light yellow.

During their formation underground, diamonds can attain a structural defect or pick up chemical impurities. A clear diamond means that it's free of these imperfections.

These factors change how a diamond absorbs light and its spectral colours, giving diamonds an almost chameleon like nature.

On a D to W scale, a diamond's value is relative to its absence of colour.

Clarity is an indication of a diamonds purity. Inclusions are the internal characteristics of a diamond. They are what makes each stone unique and special to the wearer. They tend to be clear, white or black and can be in the form of pinpoints or clouds.

It should be noted that most flaws are not visible to the untrained eye. When choosing a diamond, you want to choose a diamond that has no inclusions in the table (the top centre face), as this will be the most noticeable place for imperfections.