IntroductionHello, we have all put our heads together in order to write this guide for you, which will hopefully alleviate any stresses or worries that you may have regarding your jewellery purchase. Amongst our diverse team are individuals who have been involved in the jewellery business for many years.
We hope this guide makes things seem clearer, and has given you something to think about. Ultimately the views given in this guide are our own opinions, but do bear in mind over the years between us we have sold many items of jewellery.
Thanks for reading this,
from everyone at Hathaway Styles. |
Is buying a diamond best left to the experts?In a nutshell, yes.
Some people decide to choose their own certified diamond over the internet ‘blind’, based on a specification which to a non-gemologically trained person must mean very little.
We always buy diamonds that are individually examined by ourselves, only selecting those which we believe offer the greatest appearance and value for money, we also choose our stones based upon what we think will look best once they are mounted.
Two diamonds side by side of a similar colour, carat and clarity can have markedly different appearances due to the cut, symmetry, girdle depth and polish of the stones, and its only through viewing them in the flesh that you can truly select the best diamond for the ring in question.
Let’s not forget that diamonds are natural products, not just a bunch of letters and numbers. |
Certified Diamonds, why?In the last 10 years or so it has become increasingly popular for single stone diamond products to be sold with the assurance of an independent diamond certificate/report. Previously stones were only ever sent for certification if they were of great value i.e. 1000’s of pounds; these valuable stones were usually also laser inscribed on the girdle, as an additional form of identification.
Today it is common to see diamonds as small as 0.20 carat that have been certified.
Diamond certification is seen by many in the trade as no more than a marketing tool used by retailers for selling more jewellery, whilst this may be true it does offer the customer additional peace of mind.
On a positive note, the rise in popularity for diamond certification has led to customers having greater product knowledge and a desire for better quality diamonds in their jewellery, which ultimately we think is a good thing. |
Will my ring come with a diamond certificate?A diamond certificate from GIA, EGL, IGI or Anchor Cert is issued as standard with all of our single stone diamond products above £500 (unless otherwise specified).
Any jewellery with ‘Premium Diamonds’ comes with a certificate for each diamond.
We can arrange certificates for our other diamond jewellery, but this is subject to an additional cost. We don’t advise certifying individual stones of less than 0.25 carat due to the cost. If you are interested in certifying other diamond jewellery then please contact us for a quote. |
What is the quality of diamonds used in your jewellery?The main range of jewellery at Hathaway Styles uses individually selected diamonds that are at least colour H and SI2 clarity, we also offer ‘Premium Diamonds’ which are at least colour F and VS2 clarity. We always state the quality of any stones used within the individual product descriptions.
(For more information please go to Diamond Guide.) |
Should I upgrade to ‘Premium Diamonds’?This depends on how concerned you are about the quality of the diamond in your ring, and of course your budget.
Many people looking to purchase jewellery these days do express an interest in the quality of the diamond/s used, and whilst our standard stones do provide a bright and clean appearance, and offer good value for money, we also offer ‘Premium Diamonds’ for those who desire excellence.
If you request for ‘Premium Diamonds’ to be set in your ring, then your diamond will be near colourless and exude brilliance, all in all a very rare and special stone indeed.
(For more information please go to Diamond Guide.) |
Why do you only offer ‘Premium Diamonds’ on certain pieces?‘Premium Diamonds’ are available with both single and multi stone jewellery which has diamonds that are at least 0.20 carat individually. |
White gold or platinum?Platinum is a very rare dense metal and when used in jewellery the minimum British standard is 95% pure metal. Platinum’s purity makes it suitable for all skin types and makes it very hardwearing; the only downside is it’s expensive. Eighteen carat white gold is 75% pure gold and 25% alloy; the alloy is made up of metals such as silver, palladium and nickel to give the gold its white finish.
From an appearance point of view there is not a massive difference between platinum and 18ct white gold, this is mainly because the 18ct white gold is rhodium plated. The downside to rhodium plating is that over time it can fade to reveal a more yellowy coloured ring, however the ring can easily be re plated by us or any other jeweller.
Ultimately it’s a difficult decision to make, but if you would prefer a purer more hardwearing ring that is maintenance free then platinum should be your choice of metal, however for approximately 20% less cost you could have an eighteen carat white gold ring which looks virtually identical. |
Which wedding band width should I choose?This is generally dependent upon your gender, although there is no hard and fast rule.
The most popular widths chosen by women are 2, 3 and 4mm, whilst for men it’s 4, 5 and 6mm widths.
Above are some of the most frequently asked questions with answers, if you have a question that has not been answered in the guide please either e-mail us at enquiries@hathawaystyles.co.uk or call us on 0121 2331468. |
