Buyer Education Center
Learn Before You Buy
Honest, practical resources on diamonds, gemstones, gold and metals, certification and the tools to verify authenticity — so every purchase is an informed one.
Diamond Basics
What Is a Diamond?
A diamond is pure carbon crystallised under extreme heat and pressure — the hardest natural material on Earth.
Read →What Is Diamond Clarity?
Clarity grades the tiny internal inclusions and surface blemishes inside a diamond, from Flawless to Included.
Read →What Does 'Clear' Mean in a Diamond?
'Clear' usually describes a colourless, transparent stone — a mix of colour grade, clarity and transparency.
Read →Diamond Colour Grades: D to Z Explained
White diamonds are graded from D (completely colourless) to Z (light yellow or brown).
Read →Diamond Cut: The Most Important C
Cut controls how a diamond reflects light. A great cut makes even a modest stone dazzle.
Read →Carat Weight: Size, Price and Value
One carat equals 0.2 grams. Price rises sharply at popular 'magic' weights such as 1.00 ct.
Read →Diamond Shapes: Round, Oval, Emerald and More
From brilliant rounds to step-cut emeralds — how each shape looks, wears and is priced.
Read →Fancy Coloured Diamonds: Yellow, Pink, Green, Blue
Coloured diamonds are graded by hue, tone and saturation — and the most intense are among the rarest gems on Earth.
Read →Lab-Grown vs. Natural Diamonds
Both are real diamonds, but they differ dramatically in rarity, resale value and disclosure rules.
Read →Diamond Fluorescence: Good or Bad?
About a third of diamonds glow under UV light. Usually harmless — sometimes even beneficial.
Read →Gemstones
Complete List of Gemstones A to Z
Precious and semi-precious gems from Alexandrite to Zircon, with hardness and key buying notes.
Read →Birthstones by Month
January garnet to December tanzanite — the modern birthstone list and what each gem means.
Read →Ruby: Buying Guide
The king of gems. Colour, origin and heat treatment drive ruby value.
Read →Sapphire: Buying Guide
Blue, pink, yellow, padparadscha and rainbow — sapphires come in every colour except red.
Read →Emerald: Buying Guide
Emeralds are prized for colour over clarity — and almost all are treated with oil or resin.
Read →Opal: Play of Colour Explained
Black, white, boulder and fire opals — how to judge colour play, pattern and durability.
Read →Turquoise: Natural, Stabilised or Imitation?
Most turquoise on the market is stabilised or dyed. Here's how to tell the difference.
Read →Pearls: Akoya, South Sea, Tahitian and Freshwater
Lustre, surface, shape, size and colour determine pearl value.
Read →Gemstone Treatments You Must Know
Heating, oiling, irradiation, fracture filling and coating — what's acceptable and what destroys value.
Read →Metals & Gold
Gold Karats: 24K, 18K, 14K, 10K
Karat measures gold purity out of 24 parts. Higher karat = richer colour, softer metal.
Read →Yellow, White and Rose Gold
The colour of gold comes from the alloy metals mixed with it.
Read →Platinum vs. Gold
Platinum is denser, naturally white and hypoallergenic; gold is lighter and more versatile.
Read →All Metal Types Used in Jewellery
Gold, platinum, palladium, silver, titanium and more — strengths and weaknesses of each.
Read →How to Read Hallmarks and Metal Stamps
Small stamps reveal metal purity, maker and sometimes the assay office and year.
Read →How to Test Gold at Home (and Why a Pro Is Better)
Magnet, ceramic, density and acid tests — what they can and can't tell you.
Read →Certification
How Diamond Certification Works
From submission to laser inscription — what happens when a lab grades a diamond.
Read →GIA vs. IGI vs. AGS: Which Lab to Trust?
Grading labs differ in strictness and specialisation. Here's how the major ones compare.
Read →How to Read a Diamond Grading Report
A line-by-line walkthrough of a typical lab report.
Read →How to Verify a Certificate Online
Every legitimate lab report can be checked against the lab's database in under a minute.
Read →What a Certificate of Authenticity Should Include
A real COA names the item, its materials, provenance and the issuer who stands behind it.
Read →Appraisals and Insurance Valuations
A grading report describes quality; an appraisal assigns a monetary value for insurance.
Read →Ethical Sourcing and the Kimberley Process
How the diamond trade prevents conflict diamonds — and the newer standards that go further.
Read →Authenticity Tools
How to Spot a Fake Diamond
Quick tests to separate diamonds from cubic zirconia, glass and moissanite.
Read →Diamond Testers: Thermal, Electrical and Advanced
Which handheld tools work, which don't, and when you need a lab.
Read →How to Use a Jeweller's Loupe
A 10x loupe is the single most useful tool a buyer can own.
Read →Gemstone Testing Tools: Refractometer, Polariscope and More
The professional toolkit gemmologists use to identify coloured stones.
Read →Red Flags When Buying Jewellery Online
Warning signs of fraud — and the protections every reputable seller offers.
Read →The Buyer's Authenticity Checklist
Print this list and use it before every significant purchase.
Read →Buying Advice
How to Buy an Engagement Ring
Budget, shape, setting and certification — a step-by-step plan.
Read →Is Fine Jewellery a Good Investment?
Which pieces hold or grow value — and which lose it the moment you leave the store.
Read →Caring for and Cleaning Fine Jewellery
Simple routines that keep diamonds brilliant and settings secure for generations.
Read →Insured Shipping and Delivery of Fine Jewellery and Art
How high-value pieces should travel — and what to check when yours arrives.
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