For the last 3000 to 4000 years, diamonds have held special magic for royalty and their subjects. In fact, the Greeks and Romans considered diamonds to be tears of the Gods and splinters from falling stars. It was said that cupids' arrows were tipped with diamonds that have unequalled magic.

Until the 15th century kings wore diamonds as a symbol of strength, courage, and invincibility. It wasn't until 1477 when Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy, that the diamond engagement ring was introduced. Placing the ring on the third finger of the left hand dates back to the early Egyptian belief that the Vena Amors, vein of love, runs directly from the heart to the tip of the third finger. Throughout time, diamonds have been an expression of love beyond words.

Diamonds are graded internationally to a set of standards commonly known as the 4C's. The 4C's consist of Carat Weight, Colour, Clarity and Cut. Typically, an untrained eye sees only carat weight and cut

Carat, abbreviated ‘ct,’ is a measure of weight, not size. One carat is equal to one fifth of a gram, and is based on the weight of a carob bean from ancient Egypt. Read further...

Many people consider diamonds to be colourless. In fact, diamonds come in every colour of the rainbow, as well as black. Moreover there are varying degrees of intensity of each colour. Read further...

Virtually all diamonds possess natural imperfections. These natural phenomena, called inclusions, can usually only be seen under the power of 10x magnification. They may look like tiny crystals, clouds, or feathers Read further...

While nature determines a diamond's clarity and colour, cut is determined by the artistry and skill of the craftsman. Cut more than any other characteristic, gives the diamond its sparkle Read further...