Sell loose diamonds

Describing a loose diamond

Shape: round brilliant, oval, princess, cushion, emerald, Asscher, radiant, pear, marquise, heart or an older cut such as old European or old mine.

Weight: the carat weight to two decimal places if you know it. Small differences, for example 0.98 ct versus 1.01 ct, can matter to buyers.

Grades and measurements: colour, clarity and cut grade, plus the millimetre measurements printed on most reports. If the stone is in a sealed laboratory bag, please leave it sealed and photograph both sides.

Reports and inscriptions

Most modern GIA and IGI reports correspond to a laser inscription on the girdle of the stone. During inspection we check that the inscription, measurements and characteristics match the report you supplied. A report that does not match the stone is something we will always explain to you before any figure is finalised.

If your stone has no report, or a report from a laboratory we are less familiar with, it is examined and tested in hand. It can still be purchased; the review simply relies more on the physical examination.

Melee, parcels and smaller stones

If you have several small diamonds, for example stones removed from a broken eternity ring or a cluster, describe them as a group in the notes with an approximate count and total weight if known. Smaller stones are generally assessed differently from a single larger diamond, so photographs of the whole parcel are helpful.

Handing over a loose stone safely

Loose diamonds are small and easy to lose. Keep the stone in its original paper, box or sealed bag, and do not post anything until we have agreed the handover with you. We explain the insured send-in, or an in-person check where appropriate, before anything leaves you.