How to choose your diamond — the 4 Cs

If this is your first diamond piece, these four qualities are the ones that matter. Each stone has its own character. Selene collection diamonds are typically F/G colour and SI clarity — white to the eye, with inclusions that need magnification to see.

Colour

Not every diamond is equally white. The colourless scale runs from D to Z. Only D to J read as colourless or near-colourless; beyond that, yellow or brown tints appear. Fancy coloured lab-grown diamonds are graded on a separate scale — get in touch if you want us to source one for a bespoke piece.

Clarity

Clarity runs from Flawless to I3 and describes how many inclusions and blemishes a diamond has, and where they sit. SI (Slightly Included) stones in our collection are chosen so those inclusions are not visible without magnification.

Cut

Cut is how well the diamond returns light — fire and sparkle. The scale runs from Excellent to Poor. A well-cut smaller stone will outshine a poorly cut larger one.

Carat

Carat is simply weight. Larger stones cost more because they are rarer, but two diamonds of the same carat can differ sharply in value once colour, clarity and cut are taken into account.

For the full buying path, see the engagement ring buying guide.