April is Diamond month, and at Harry Edwards Jewelers we have one of the best duty free diamond selections in St Lucia, especially since the recent introduction of the gorgeous Hearts On Fire brand to our range.

According to popular legend the healing powers of birthstones are heightened by wearing the gemstone for the entire month, and we’re certainly not taking any chances – the staff and stores alike are aglow with duty free diamond rings, diamond earrings, and diamond pendants, not to mention the occasional fully-dressed diamond timepiece from our Rolex, Cartier, Omega, Breitling or TAG Heuer collections.

Diamonds are not only stunningly beautiful, they’re also incredibly tough. Diamond is the hardest of all gemstones, made of a single element – carbon. This makes it over fifty times harder than any other naturally occurring material, and is why a diamond can only be cut by another diamond. Once cut and polished properly the luster of a quality diamond simply cannot be rivaled by any other gemstone.

Diamonds are notoriously synonymous with love and especially with weddings, so if you plan to pop the big question while on your romantic getaway, or plan to have the big day while on island, Harry Edwards offers a wide selection of St Lucia wedding gifts, engagement rings, wedding bands and bridal sets that will leave any groom to be in good graces and bride to be breathless. Stunning and strong diamonds are versatile enough for everyday wear as well as special occasions, so there’s always an excuse to “shine bright like a diamond”!

How to buy a duty free diamond

You’ll often hear people speak of the 4 C’s of diamonds – the Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat.

The cut is the most important of the C’s, and refers to the precision with which the diamond is polished. Hearts On Fire offers the world’s most perfectly cut diamond, using a secret as closely guarded as the recipe for Coca Cola, to produce diamonds that boast perfect symmetry, perfect proportions, perfect polish, and perfect alignment. The result is an incomparable sparkle and brilliance that you can truly see.

When we speak of diamond colour, we are actually referring to a lack of colour! The less colour a diamond has, the closer it is to perfect. Diamond colour is graded on an alphabetical scale, where D, E and F refer to colourless diamonds, and X, Y and Z refer to diamonds with a light yellow hue. Hearts On Fire offers only D, E and F colourless diamonds, and G, H, I and J almost colourless diamonds.

The clarity of a diamond refers to internal flaws in the diamond’s structure, known as Inclusions. Diamonds are rated on a sliding scale as shown below. Hearts On Fire diamonds range from FL (flawless) to SI (slight inclusion), meaning that no inclusions are visible to the human eye, and any slight inclusion can only be seen using a minimum of 10x magnification.

Diamonds are measured in terms of points and carats, as shown in the graphic below. A common misconception when it comes to diamond quality is that bigger, or heavier, is better. This is often not the case, and when buying a diamond you should instead consider the quality of the cut. Ultimately you’re paying for perfection, not weight.

The fifth C – Confidence!

Of course, the 4C’s are crucial when buying a diamond, but so is the confidence with which you buy. At Harry Edwards Jewelers you can rest assured that all of our duty free jewelry and tax free watches come backed with an international warranty and certificate of authenticity. You can also be sure that duty free shopping in St Lucia ensures that you receive considerable price savings compared to what you pay back home. Visit one of our conveniently located stores and speak to a sales associate about your perfect diamond today, or contact us via any means below to take advantage of our Personal Shopping Service where we come to you!