When it comes to the Four Cs, a diamond's cut grading refers to how well it has been cut; which takes into account proportions, symmetry, and polish. An expertly cut diamond will make the best use of light, reflecting and dispersing light that enters the stone into brilliance (brightness), fire (coloured light), and scintillation (moving light – also known simply as sparkle). While only round diamonds receive a cut grading, fancy shapes each have their own unique aesthetic appeal and play of light, so you can choose the look you love for your forever-piece.

The Clarity is also important. After a diamond is cut, its unique inner beauty shines through. Every diamond is different, and tiny, natural imperfections, arise during formation - the fewer the imperfections, the higher the value. Flawless diamonds are quite rare, and clarity defines the distinctive beauty of each stone.

At Michael Hill, we use the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) diamond grading system because it is the system most widely used and referred to by jewellers all over the world. On the GIA scale, diamond colour grades are indicated from colourless to yellow as D through Z.

This is a measurement of the diamond's total weight and not its size. A carat equals 1/5 of a gram. Carat does not always directly influence how big a diamond will appear. A well-cut diamond with a slightly smaller carat weight can appear larger than a higher carat diamond that is poorly cut, because it will reflect more light. There are also plenty of ways to achieve a large look if a high-carat solitaire ring is out of reach – such as a halo or cluster style ring that groups together multiple smaller stones.