Diamond Guide

We love sourcing and working with unusual diamonds for the GILD collection. From salt and pepper to champagne to classic white, we want to highlight the unique nature of each and appreciate beauty in the perfectly imperfect.

With this diamond buying guide, we want to help give you as much information about diamonds and the process in order to help inform you as you make this important decision.

White Diamonds

‘The 4Cs’ are the industry standard for grading your classic white diamond.  

CARAT

The unit of measurement to describe a diamond’s weight. While this is definitely one of the factors that people consider the most, each of the other c’s is just as important in picking your diamond. The carat size can have a big part in the cost of a diamond, but it is not the only factor to consider. 

CUT

Cut generally means the shape of the stone. But Cut can mean a lot more- Is the shape symmetrical? Does it sparkle well? Below are some of the cuts you may be familiar with.

CLARITY

Because of the way that diamonds are naturally formed, it is very common for them to have characteristics that make each diamond unique. The description of the clarity is graded on a range from Flawless (very very rare) to Included (visible to the naked eye). Stone clarity is graded under 10x Magnification, so often the inclusions are not easily seen with the naked eye.

COLOR

The diamond grading color scale goes from D to Z. The less color being the most valuable. Colors may appear slight between grades, but the price can vary greatly.

 

COLORED DIAMONDS

Champagne and Yellow Diamonds are our go to when we want something warm to compliment a yellow gold setting. They are stones that rate on the end or off of the diamond color scale. You get all of the strength of a diamond with a one of a kind color. 

SALT AND PEPPER DIAMONDS

These stones feature visible flecks to create a sparkle unlike any other. In addition to the many facets of a cut diamond, there are also internal surfaces that bounce and reflect light. They get their name from the light and dark inclusions speckled throughout the stone.

 

SUSTAINABILITY + ETHICAL PRACTICES

We strive to have a positive impact in our practices and sourcing. We do our very best to choose vendors and resources with sustainable and ethical practices in place. 

Jane Pope Jewelry is proudly Made in Charleston, SC with ethically sourced stones and 100% recycled gold through our sister business, Conscious Casting, LLC.

CERTIFICATION

While we do have a few lovely GIA certified pieces our collection here, however we pride ourselves in our selective inventory of unique diamonds. We are drawn to rare shapes, colors and striking inclusions. Many of these diamonds such as Salt and Pepper or Champagne Diamonds are seen as un-gradable by the GIA, as they are off of the standard grading charts. These details are what inspire Jane's perfectly imperfect designs. 

We would recommend having any ring appraised by a local appraiser once you receive it. This will also help when purchasing insurance.