Wildflower Diamond Guide

At TW McClelland & Daughters, we emphasize beauty and artistry over everything. We are also very aware of the importance of economics purchasing a diamond. There are many ways for an individual to purchase a natural diamond — it can be complicated. With over forty years of experience, sourcing, cutting, and working with diamonds, we are here to help.

In the past, there were more general categories of diamond grades; colorless, near colorless, eye-clean, etc. As diamonds became more commoditized, dealers created amore detailed system. Now, there are the Four Cs: Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat Weight. This scale of diamond grades and qualities is used to determine value and cost, though visually there is sometimes very little difference between two similar stones. While these details are important, they are not as important to most as the true beauty of a stone. The following are all ways of purchasing a stone for your setting.

Reach out to info@twmcclelland.com for further questions.

  1. Purchase a natural diamond from us

We are experts in sourcing diamonds for the Wildflower Collection. We encourage selecting the mounting first, and then finding the perfect diamond for that mounting. All of our mountings accommodate modern Round Brilliant diamonds, and cushion, oval, ascher, emerald, and antique cut diamonds can all be used as well. Extra care must be used with these special cuts to assure the balance of the finished ring. Our diamond expert will be happy to walk through this process with you.

A note on antique cut diamonds: for 30 years we have specialized in sourcing and working with antique, hand-cut diamonds. True antique Old Mine Cut diamonds have a cushion shape, chunky facets, were cut by hand throughout the 18th and 19th centuries to reflect fire and candle light. Old European Cut diamonds, the predecessors to the modern round brilliant, were cut in the first part of the 20th century, and feature fewer, larger facets. Both cuts often have a high crown and a flat culet. Hand-cut stones have an immediate connection to our studio’s work, as everything from the TW McClelland & Daughters studio is made by hand as well.

2. Use a family or inherited diamond

Often, we are asked if we can mount an existing family diamond in a Wildflower mounting. Very often we can provided the diamond falls within our quality standards. A round diamond should be at least the minimum size for the desired mounting, should be well cut, and of at least I color and SI1 clarity. Often inherited diamonds are older cuts. It is always necessary to have a certificate and report describing any diamond — this will help determine the characteristics and value of the diamond, and whether it is right for a Wildflower ring. If you do not have a certificate, we can have your stone certified for you. Please reach out and we can help you understand the diamond you are hoping to use.

3. Lab grown diamonds

Lab-grown diamonds are increasingly popular and a fraction of the cost of a naturally occurring diamond. The question becomes then whether they are valuable. Being man made, they are far from scarce which is reflected in both price and resale value. Our studio does not work with lab grown diamonds at this time.

4. Purchase a diamond from another source

Some customers prefer to research and purchase their diamond elsewhere. If the diamond fits the parameters of quality we require, we will gladly set a diamond from another source. We require round diamonds to be of the correct minimum size, to be very well cut, and of minimum I color and SI1 quality. There are other factors that will determine whether the stone is appropriate, but that is a general guide. Always contact us in advance of making a diamond purchase for a Wildflower ring.