Diamonds are the hardest substance on earth and are uniquely resistant to damage by heat or scratching, but should still be placed in a protective ring or earring setting or pendant clasp to avoid any risk of loss.

Exposure to perspiration and household agents, like hairspray, can cause build up that dulls the surface of a diamond and we recommend quality cleaning products to retain the shine and sparkle of your jewellery.

The quality of a diamond is reflected in four key measures:

• Cut - The cut of a diamond is what gives it its sparkle by ensuring that light is reflected perfectly back from within the stone. Even if the diamond has perfect colour and clarity, a poor cut can lead to light being lost within it and make a diamond appear to be dull

• Colour – The best and rarest diamonds are virtually colourless and reflect light back perfectly. A little colour can diminish a diamond's brilliance and its ability to break light into the spectrum colours. Jewellery standard diamonds are colour graded from D (best) - M (faint yellowing to trained eye) with stones up to I being rated as near colourless. All Auriga Jewellery Direct diamonds are rated G or H

• Clarity – Diamonds with the fewest inclusions or flaws have the greatest clarity and are the best stones. Clarity is rated using a detailed scale that even measures inclusions only visible under a microscope. All Auriga Jewellery diamonds are rated SI1 which means any flaws are usually only visible under X10 magnification although may occasionally be visible to the trained eye.

• Carat (weight) – The weight of a diamond is measured in carats with the larger ones costing more. Remember, however, that large gems are much rarer than small ones, which makes larger diamonds much more valuable. Diamond prices rise exponentially with carat weight and a 2-carat diamond is always worth more than two 1-carat diamonds of the same quality.
  

Conflict-Free Diamonds

A diamond is a conflict-free diamond if its profit is not used to fund war, and it is mined and produced under ethical conditions.

The only way to certify a diamond as conflict-free is to trace and monitor the diamond from the diamond mine to the consumer and certificates are issued from exporting Governments to confirm that the stone has been mined, cut and polished under conditions in line with the Conflict-Free Diamond Council .    

Simply banning diamonds from war torn countries and assuming that all other diamonds are conflict-free is often ineffective as Conflict diamonds can be sold across national borders to ‘clean’ them.

All Auriga Jewellery diamonds, however, are from suppliers participating in certified programs, and can be traced from mine to consumer.

Contact Auriga Jewellery Direct on 0118 959 5661

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Auriga Jewellery Ltd. Registered: 2 Kings Rd, Haslemere, Surrey, GU27 2QA. Company No: 5192466