Buying a diamond ring is one of life’s most meaningful and memorable purchases. Whether you’re planning a proposal, celebrating an anniversary, or marking a milestone, we want our customers to be confident knowing they are buying the best quality stones.
Here's our guide to understanding the essentials of diamond quality, design, and craftsmanship will help you make a confident and informed choice.
Firstly, inform yourself on the 4Cs — Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat. The cut determines how much a diamond sparkles, while colour and clarity affect its appearance and rarity. This will help you understand the price of the diamond better.
Of the 4Cs, the cut is the most crucial when it comes to a diamond’s sparkle. It’s the cut that determines how well a diamond reflects light, creating that unmistakable sparkle and fire.
A well-cut diamond reflects light beautifully — creating brilliance (white light), fire (rainbow flashes), and scintillation (the sparkle as it moves). Even a high-carat diamond can appear dull if poorly cut.
The Round Brilliant cut remains the most dazzling of all — it’s the cut that truly dances with light. But there’s a quiet sophistication to the emerald cut, a romantic softness in the cushion, and a modern elegance in the oval. The best cut is the one that feels most like the person who will wear it every day.
A whiter shade of pale
The GIA grades diamond colour from D (colourless, rare, and most valuable) to Z (light yellow or brown). D colour will be signicantly more expensive than a G colour.
D–F (Colourless): The purest, icy-white sparkle — perfect if you love crisp brilliance and platinum or white gold settings. These are the top graded stones have a cool, mirror-like quality, often chosen for a clean, classic look.
G–H (Near Colourless): These diamonds appear beautifully white to the eye, offer exceptional value and are often indistinguishable from colourless grades in normal light.
We always show each diamond under natural light so you can see the true tone before deciding.
Clarity measures the presence of natural inclusions within the stone. We recommend you focus on eye-clean diamonds, meaning any tiny inclusions are invisible to the naked eye, striking the perfect balance between purity and value.
Most people will never view their diamond under a magnifier — only with the naked eye. That’s why we often recommend VS2 or SI1 grades as the ideal clarity range: they appear flawless in everyday light but offer better value than higher grades.
Our gemologists don’t judge a diamond by clarity alone. We look for balance, how clarity interacts with cut, colour, and brilliance. A VS2 diamond with an excellent cut often appears more radiant than a flawless diamond with poor proportions.
Carat refers to the weight of a diamond, not its size — and it’s only one part of a diamond’s overall beauty.
Carat refers to weight, not size. A well-cut 1.00ct diamond can appear larger and more brilliant than a poorly cut diamond of greater carat weight. Balance between carat and cut is key.
As diamond size increases, so does its rarity and value. Larger diamonds are found far less frequently in nature, making them significantly more rare — and therefore more precious. A one-carat diamond is not simply twice the value of a half-carat; its worth increases exponentially.
Choosing your diamond shape is one of the most personal parts of the journey — it’s where craftsmanship meets character.
Each shape reveals something about the wearer’s style and spirit. The Round Brilliant remains an icon of tradition — dazzling, timeless, and endlessly versatile. The Oval feels modern yet romantic, its elongated silhouette softening the hand and creating an illusion of greater size. The Emerald cut, with its mirror-like facets, is quietly powerful favoured by those who appreciate architectural beauty and subtle sophistication. And for something more distinctive, the Pear or Marquise shapes bring an air of individuality.
In the end, the perfect diamond shape is less about trends and more about connection — it’s the one that feels like you.
Insist on GIA certification (Gemological Institute of America) verifying its cut, colour, clarity and carat. This is your guarantee of authenticity, quality and ethical sourcing.
Certification safeguards you from overpaying or purchasing a misrepresented diamond. You’ll know exactly what you’re getting — and its true value. Should you ever wish to insure, appraise, or pass down your diamond, its GIA report ensures traceability and credibility that endures for generations.
Platinum is incredibly dense and durable, making it ideal for securing precious stones. The metal doesn’t wear away over time, this means your diamond stays securely held in place, even decades later.
When it comes to finding the perfect diamond ring in Dublin, few names carry the trust and heritage of Appleby Jewellers. Established in the 1950s, Appleby remains a family-run Irish jeweller renowned for exceptional craftsmanship, beautiful design, and the warm, personal service that generations of couples have come to love.
Our Grafton Street showroom offers a private, relaxed space to view our engagement and diamond ring collections, all handcrafted in our in-house Dublin workshop by master goldsmiths and gemologists.
Cut has the greatest impact on brilliance, always prioritise cut over carat size.
GIA certification provides independent verification of your diamond’s quality and ensures you know exactly what you’re buying.
Before choosing a diamond, it’s important to understand the 4Cs — Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat. These determine its beauty, rarity and price. We also recommend buying only GIA certified natural diamonds to ensure authenticity and value.
Shape refers to the outline (round, oval, pear, emerald etc.), while cut refers to how well the facets are proportioned and polished. A perfectly cut diamond, whatever the shape, will sparkle beautifully.
No. Lab-grown diamonds are synthetic and have no natural rarity or resale value. Appleby Jewellers only sells natural, ethically sourced diamonds, each formed billions of years ago deep within the earth.
Founded in Dublin in the 1950s, Appleby Jewellers is family-owned with decades of craftsmanship and trust. We hand-select every diamond, offer lifetime cleaning and aftercare, and create every ring in our in-house workshop to the highest standard.
The price depends heavily on the 4 C’s (cut, colour, clarity, carat) . Applebys offer excellent value for money.
The cut, colour, clarity make a huge difference. A 1.00 ct diamond with top colour (D, E) and top clarity (IF, VVS) might cost 5 to 10× more than a 1.00 ct diamond with lower colour (I, J) and clarity (SI) even though they weigh the same.
Round brilliant and oval diamonds remain the most popular shapes. Halo settings, solitaires, and three-stone styles are common.
We always recommend 18ct gold and platinum. Both are precious, durable metals designed to last a lifetime.
Platinum is naturally white and exceptionally strong, hypoallergic and that resists wear and retains its colour without the need for re-plating.
18ct gold and blush rose gold offers a rich, luxurious look with excellent durability. Its higher gold content gives a warm tone and a timeless appeal.