A Diamond Buyer's Guide
How to Select Your Gem from Among the Earth's Oldest Treasures
Season 5. Episode 13. Listen to full episodes of the Podcast, here.
In the final episode of Season 5 of the Cleopatra’s Bling podcast, jeweller Olivia Cummings welcomes diamond expert and dealer Sean. He is an unsung hero of the trade in Australia, who Olivia has worked with for years, but, due to the valuable nature of the wares he trades, whose face and full name we cannot share here.
What unfolds in the full episode is not only a meditation and a history lesson on the origins of diamonds, tales of robberies and hijinks, but also a practical guide to selecting a diamond for yourself. We share Sean's learnings in condensed form, below.
"Diamonds are a piece of the planet"
Why Choose a Diamond?
Diamonds are the hardest naturally occurring substance on Earth. They have an unparalleled ability to take a polish and refract light, giving them a brilliance which no other stone can match.
But beyond the fiery light of their surface lies a metaphysical glow: diamonds are formed deep in the Earth under unimaginable heat and pressure, over millions or billions of years. In Sean’s words, each one is “a piece of the planet”, a witness to time immemorial.
The 4 C's: More Than Just a Checklist
Carat, Colour, Clarity, and Cut are part of the new vocabulary every buyer hears when they start investigating a diamond purchase, but Sean makes clear that the story doesn’t end with a grading certificate.
A beautifully cut stone can outperform a heavier (or higher carat) one. A slight tint of champagne in a diamond can offer character and warmth.
Even inclusions, so often viewed as flaws, can lend a sense of uniqueness, or what gemmologists romantically call “fingerprints.”
Natural vs Lab-Grown: A Philosophical Divide
The podcast bravely enters contentious territory: lab-grown diamonds. While these stones are chemically identical to natural diamonds, Sean compares them to a perfect forgery of a Van Gogh. While they may be technically indistinguishable, the lab-grown stones lack soul.
For him, the magic of a diamond lies not only in its glimmering sheen but in its journey through geological history. Lab-grown stones may have a place, he concedes, but they cannot carry the resonance of something pulled from the Earth’s mantle.
Ethics and Traceability
Ethical sourcing is paramount. From the Kimberley Process to spectral analysis tracing a diamond’s origin, the industry has made strides. Yet, the chain of trust remains human: knowing your jeweller, understanding their standards, and trusting in their practices remains the most robust safeguard.
What to Ask When Buying a Diamond
1. Does the cut maximise light return and beauty?
2. Has it been sourced ethically, with documentation or traceability?
3. Is the stone suited to your lifestyle—will the setting protect it?
4. Does it move you? Often, the first stone that captures your eye is the one you’ll come back to.
To discuss these questions, and see a range of diamonds, contact our expert team, via this form.
Ultimately, a Diamond Is a Story
From the ancient Golconda mines to modern ateliers, diamonds have travelled through myth, monarchy, geology, and personal memory.
As Sean says, they are artefacts of deep time and vessels of sentiment.
Find yourself a diamond not solely because it is expected, but because it speaks to something lasting, which refuses to be rushed or replicated.
Listen to the full episode which covers these details in much more depth, and with Sean's incomparable storytelling panache.
or simply search The Cleopatra's Bling Podcast in your app.
Contact our team when you are ready to learn more about diamonds in practice, to create your own, bespoke piece.
FAQs
Why are diamonds considered so special?
Diamonds are the hardest naturally occurring substance on Earth, with an unmatched ability to take a polish and refract light. But their real mystique lies deeper: each diamond is formed under immense heat and pressure over millions or billions of years. Wearing one is like wearing a fragment of geological time.
Are the 4 Cs the most important thing to focus on?
Carat, colour, clarity and cut are important, but they are not the full story. A diamond’s beauty is not simply a checklist. A smaller stone can outshine a larger one if it is cut well, and subtle warmth or tint can add depth rather than detract from it.
Is cut more important than carat weight?
Very often, yes. Cut determines how a diamond interacts with light, which is what creates its brilliance. A well-cut diamond will sparkle more intensely, appear more alive, and often look more impressive than a heavier stone with a duller finish.
Are inclusions always a bad thing in a diamond?
Not at all. Inclusions can be viewed as a diamond’s fingerprints, tiny markings that make it one of a kind. While some buyers prefer clarity, others are drawn to stones with small natural characteristics that feel more individual and less engineered.
What is the difference between natural and lab-grown diamonds?
Lab-grown diamonds may be chemically identical, but natural diamonds offer something fundamentally different. Formed deep within the Earth over billions of years, each natural diamond is a rare product of geological history. Lab-grown stones can be equally beautiful, but they do not carry the same sense of origin, scarcity, or connection to the natural world.
How can I make sure a diamond is ethically sourced?
Ethical sourcing comes down to traceability and trust. Certifications like the Kimberley Process are one layer of protection, and modern technology can help track the origin of stones. But the strongest safeguard is working with jewellers who are transparent about their supply chain and committed to responsible sourcing.
What questions should I ask before buying a diamond?
Ask whether the cut maximises light return, whether the diamond is ethically sourced, and whether the setting suits your lifestyle. A diamond should not only be beautiful in theory, but wearable in practice. It should also feel emotionally right, not just technically correct.
How do I know when I’ve found the right diamond?
Usually, you just know. The right stone is the one that pulls you back, the one that feels charged with something you can’t quite explain. Diamonds are not only objects of beauty, but vessels of meaning, chosen as much by instinct as by logic.