Diamonds - a guide to selection, quality and certification
A diamond is the crowning glory for any ring. The perfect engagement ring is created in combination with a high-quality alloyed precious metal. Diamonds are the most precious gemstones in the world and their everlasting sparkle symbolises the eternal love of two people.

The diamond sizes we have available are between 0.03 and 3.00 carats (ct). The choice of five diamond qualities – H/SI, G/SI, G/VS, G/IF, D/IF (flawless) – rounds off our range.
On request, we can find any diamond through our worldwide network of diamond specialists – including the diamond of your choice.

There are various settings for diamond engagement rings. In a classic engagement ring, the goldsmith sets a single stone, and this is then referred to as a solitaire ring (French ‘solitaire’: single).

Other diamond settings suitable for engagement rings can be a centre stone with two stones set on either side. Engagement rings with several stones and partially or fully set rings, known as eternity rings, are currently also very popular.

The 4 Cs: Carat, Colour, Clarity, Cut

1. Carat:
The weight of a diamond is given in carats (ct.). 1 carat corresponds to a gemstone weight of 0.2 grams.

2. Colour:
The scale for the colour of a diamond ranges from D to Z, from very fine white to shades of yellow. As very fine white diamonds are rare, they are considered particularly valuable. The more colourful the ring material, the less noticeable the colour of the diamond.
Our tip: For the stone to appear white, the colour G (‘fine white’) is sufficient up to a size of 1.5 carats.

3. Clarity:
The gemmologist - an expert in gemstones - determines the clarity with the naked eye and under a loupe with 10x magnification. Each stone is assigned a quality grade. These range from 'no inclusions' (IF, loupe clean) to 'Inclusions very easily visible to the naked eye' (PI3, Pique III). Our SI diamonds are considered ‘eye-clean’ (eye-clean) as they have no visible inclusions.

Difference between diamond certificates and in-house certificates

Diamond certificates are generally issued for sizes of half a carat or more. The cost of the certificate would make smaller gemstones too expensive, making them unattractive to customers. We take a pragmatic approach: For smaller gemstones our certified gemstone experts issue in-house certificates.
We apply our experience and expertise right from the diamond-purchasing stage. In addition, we can rely on an international network of trusted dealers. Our team includes GIA-trained gemmologists who test each precious stone for authenticity and record its properties.

Each piece of jewellery sold with precious stones comes with a certificate from our company or, for stones larger than 0.30 ct., a certificate from the GIA.

Diamond shapes – more than just round

In addition to the brilliant cut, a variety of different cuts have been developed over time. In the industry, these are known as ‘fancy cuts’. Below is a list of the most frequently purchased diamond shapes:

Bezel setting

The bezel setting is characterised by its simple shape, which encloses the diamond like a bowl. It has an elegant appearance, but naturally lets less light through to the gemstone than other settings, as it shields it from the sides.

Bezel settings completely surround the stone with metal, providing it with excellent protection. It is particularly suitable for active wearers, as the gemstone is held securely and firmly in place.

This setting conceals minor inclusions in the gemstone, making it a popular choice for engagement rings. It gives the ring a modern, minimalist look that appeals to many couples.

All in all, it offers an elegant and practical solution for those who appreciate both aesthetics and security.

Pavé, channel and burnish setting variants

Other settings for gemstones take one of the three types of setting already mentioned and expand or modify them.

In a pavé setting, the stones are set one after the other along the shank of the ring. Also in this case, prongs are used. There are usually four prongs, arranged in pairs on the side of the shank, which hold the diamond in the centre.

The channel setting holds the gemstones laterally in a channel running parallel to the shank of the ring. In the burnish setting, the diamonds are embedded individually and almost completely in the shank of the ring. Similar to the bezel setting, they protrude only slightly.

Yellow, rose and white gold: details of the gold content in carats

Pure gold is relatively soft, which is why so-called alloys are used for jewellery, which contain other precious metals in addition to fine gold. These additives ensure the stability of the alloy.

The closer the value is to gold 999, the more pure gold (fine gold) the alloy contains. Gold 585 consists of 58.5% fine gold while gold 750 contains 75.0%.
In addition to 585 and 750, designations in carat (K) are also commonly used for the fineness. Gold 585 corresponds to the designation 14K and gold 750 to 18K.

Foundries use other precious metals, usually copper and silver, as additives to fine gold for alloys. Palladium, platinum, rhodium and iridium are also used.The proportion of added metals influences the colour and stability of the gold alloy. A higher proportion of copper results in a reddish alloy, while a higher proportion of white or grey precious metals results in a lighter alloy – white gold.