Christmas Eve - not Valentine's Day – is the most popular day of the year to propose. Jewelry stores report selling more diamond rings in the days leading up to Christmas than the most romantic day of the year, with sales reaching a peak on December 24. If you have earmarked Christmas Eve as that day when you will go down on one knee and present a solitaire diamond ring to that special someone, you must have started doing your homework on diamonds. If you haven't, here's a quick lesson on the most important diamond lesson of all: the four Cs. 

Cut

Cut and sparkle go hand in hand. A well-cut stone looks bigger, masks its flaws better, and looks more brilliant than one that's poorly cut. The cut of GIA certified diamonds can be ranked as 'Excellent', 'Very Good' or 'Good'. If you are working off a modest budget, prioritize cut over other features. 

By Logan Sachon, Social Media Journalist

The Magnificent Jewels sale on April 21 at Sotheby’s New York set several new records for the auction house’s New York location, including the highest total sale. 

The auction was led by a 100.2ct emerald-cut perfect diamond, dubbed the Ultimate Emerald-Cut Diamond, which sold for almost $22.1 million, making it the highest price for any colorless diamond auctioned in New York. It is the first 100 ct. diamond sold at auction   in New York and also the largest perfect diamond in a classic emerald cut ever sold at auction anywhere.

Once upon a time Amsterdam was the diamond capital of the world.  Nowadays, it gets its supply from other cities, in particular Antwerp which is now recognised as the diamond capital. Rough and polished diamonds are traded in this city, with a turnover of more than US$50 billion each year.  With a dedicated and secured area, the Antwerp Diamond District is home to more than 3000 diamond merchants, brokers and boutique shops, where customers and traders have direct access to this extensive source of stones.

Antwerp is the global hub of all diamond trading activity. Over 80% of the world’s diamonds are traded in Antwerp at some point in time. Major diamond mining companies, trading companies and cutting and polishing companies from around the world choose the city as the preferred location for selling their diamonds. It is a long-established centre with a well-regulated, safe and secure trading environment. Luxury retailers and prestigious jewellery boutiques buy diamonds in Antwerp as the city has the best selection of the finest gems in the world, which can be purchased at wholesale prices.

Located in the heart of the world’s diamond district, Jardin de Diamants is opening the doors to this previously inaccessible industry by offering private consumers an insider’s buying experience.

In the aftermath of the global financial crisis in 2008, Antwerp, Brussels-based diamond dealers saw an uptick in interest from private consumers looking to invest in what is considered to be the finest luxury product on the market, the diamond. Jardin de Diamants responded to this trend by creating a consumer-facing, previously unexplored, element of the diamond industry to meet demand.

Because diamonds are eternal doesn't mean that they don’t deserve regular care. Christmas and the New Year are classic occasions for women to show off their most beautiful jewellery pieces – but often the stones need serious radiance boost. Taking care of a diamond is an art and numerous women don’t know how to handle the stone, which cleaning products to use (or not use!) and are reluctant to give their stone away to an unknown jeweller they don’t trust. Even though a diamond is unalterable, the stone can loose its shine over time, become dusty or be altered by pollution or other external factors.