Boodles diamond guide

Diamond Guide

At Boodles we’re captivated by diamonds, and search the world for the best. This isn’t mere pastime. Our curiosity has made us one of the world’s experts. We would like to share some of that knowledge.

Shape

A diamond owes most of its beauty to nature, but it is the shape and skillfulness of the polished cut that determines the all-important sparkle factor. Accuracy equals greater brilliance; perfect proportions mean more sparkle. It’s all about capturing and refracting light. Boodles believes quality of cut to be paramount, and as such all our stones are rigorously vetted for their brilliance. Whatever shape you choose, your diamond will be dazzling.
Boodles Ashoka split shoulders platinum ring in production

The Four C's

Cut, colour, clarity and carat are the barometers by which the world judges the beauty of a diamond. And then, of course, there are the other C’s that we take just as seriously: certification, creativity & confidence.

Cut

A diamond owes most of its beauty to nature, but it is the shape and skillfulness of the polished cut that determines the all-important sparkle factor. Accuracy equals greater brilliance; perfect proportions mean more sparkle. It’s all about capturing and refracting light. Boodles believes quality of cut to be paramount, and as such all our stones are rigorously vetted for their brilliance. Whatever shape you choose, your diamond will be dazzling.
Boodles diamond guide, diamond colour

Colour

Diamonds are graded from ‘D’ (exceptional white) to ‘Z’ (light yellow). No one knows what happened to ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘C’ but ‘D’ colour diamonds are often referred to as ‘exceptional’ white. This purity of colour is like a flash of blue-white fire quite unlike anything else. Boodles diamonds are typically selected within the D-G colour range through the stone. A perfectly clear or flawless diamond is valuable for its extreme rarity.
Boodles diamond guide, diamond clarity

Clarity

Every diamond is unique. Even those of identical cut, weight, and colour-rating might vary significantly in terms of clarity. This happens as during a diamond’s natural formation, other minerals or crystals might be present, which can disrupt the refraction of light through the stone. A perfectly clear or flawless diamond is valuable for its extreme rarity.

Carat

Should you be in any doubt, may we confirm that putting on weight is highly desirable when it comes to diamonds, and carats are the measure of weight, not of size, as is often supposed. The higher the carat weight, the higher the value. But ‘small and perfectly formed’ is also a good rule of thumb: a better quality of diamond is always best, whatever the weight. For reference and guarantee, Boodles diamond rings have the carat weight engraved inside the shank.
Boodles diamond guide, platinum brilliant engagement diamond ring in production

Boodles Policy on Conflict Diamonds

All of our diamonds are purchased from legitimate sources that are not involved in funding conflict and in compliance with United Nations resolutions. We deal with reputable suppliers whom we know and trust and who guarantee their diamonds are non-conflict.
Boodles flawless emerald cut diamond

Certification

This is generally a good guide to the unique physical properties of diamonds. However, it should not be used as an indication of a diamond’s physical appeal. At Boodles, every diamond is handpicked by one of our trained experts and we reject a high proportion of diamonds of appropriate certification when we see them. We always emphasise that the certificate should only be one small part of your choice. There’s no certificate on earth that will explain quite why you love one ring more than another. Boodles diamonds are generally certified over three quarters of a carat, and this is something we are always happy to explain.
Boodles Vintage The Eternal Pink 2.06-carat pink pear diamond Ring

Creativity

A beautiful stone deserves a beautiful setting, and how a stone is mounted can dramatically alter its appearance. Today, design is important in every aspect of our lives and particularly in something we wear all the time. Multi-stone rings and elegantly themed designs are our speciality. Boodles designers are as skilled as they are inspired — and have notched up awards to prove it. Their passion is to create a ring that is uniquely right for you.
Boodles Cullinan Legacy Diamond Platinum Ring, emerald cut diamond in platinum and 18 carat Single Mine Origin pink gold.

Confidence

Boodles creates your ring from start to finish. We choose the diamonds individually, based on over 200 years experience. We design the setting on our drawing board and carefully craft the precious metal and set the stones one by one. We quality control every stage and only when we are thrilled by the result do we allow the ring out to one of our showrooms. You won’t find our rings anywhere else but a Boodles showroom: we fiercely guard our reputation for fair dealing, honesty and service.

The Diamond Guide

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