Every diamond is unique - a beautiful result of time, place, chance and change. While there can be many personal factors involved when it comes to value - history, relationships, beloved imperfections - to determine a diamond's quality and value, we turn to the four C's: Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat.

Cut.
The cut of a diamond is often viewed as its most important characteristic. Diamond cuts are graded across five levels, ranging from 'Excellent' to 'Poor'. The higher the grade, the higher the degree of brightness, fire (rainbow colours), brilliance, and scintillation (sparkle).

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Colour.

Confusing as it may sound, a diamonds colour is actually graded by its lack of colour. The grading scale ranges from D (colourless, excellent and rare) to Z (lightly coloured including greys and champagnes).

Clarity.

A diamond's clarity refers to its internal and external blemishes and imperfections - things that make each diamond unique - otherwise known as 'inclusions'. Due to the nature of how diamonds are formed (under powerful heat and pressure) it's rare to find a diamond completely free from inclusions. The clarity scale ranges from 'IF' (Internally Flawless) to I1-I4 (Included).

Carat.

A diamond's weight (and ultimately its size) is measured in carats, with one carat equalling 200mg of weight. The appearance of a diamond - its physical size and proportions - are also dependent on its cut.

Before you get to the exciting bits - the gold, the setting, the diamonds - it's important to make time for a less-exciting (but very important) step. The budget. Whether you're looking at diamonds for yourself or diamonds for someone special, it pays to be realistic about what you can spend. Once you have a number in mind, we're here to help you work within your budget to create something truly spectacular.

At McClurgs, we take great pride in the way we work. We operate with integrity, communicate with honesty and create with the utmost care. Our diamonds are at the heart of everything we do, which is why we are committed to providing you with nothing but the best: certified and ethically sourced stones.