Top 15 Emerald Cut Diamond Rings & Expert UK Buying Guide
- August 18, 2025
Scrolling through pages of near-identical rings isn’t anyone’s idea of romance, so we’ve done the leg-work for you. Below you’ll find the 15 finest emerald-cut diamond rings available to UK shoppers right now—from one-off Hatton Garden masterpieces to ready-to-ship high-street favourites—each with up-to-date price bands and the details that actually matter when you’re about to […]
What Is The Most Popular Diamond Shape? 9 Engagement Picks
- June 23, 2026
If you’ve started shopping for an engagement ring, you’ve probably asked yourself what is the most popular diamond shape, and for good reason. The shape you choose affects everything from how large the stone appears on the finger to how much it sparkles, and even how much you’ll pay for a given carat weight. The […]
How Natural Diamonds Are Formed: Mantle, Pressure, Eruption
- December 3, 2025
Natural diamonds form deep inside the Earth under extreme conditions you can barely imagine. Carbon atoms bond together roughly 150 to 200 kilometres beneath your feet, where temperatures reach 900 to 1,300 degrees Celsius and pressure hits 50,000 times what you feel at sea level. This process takes between 1 and 3.5 billion years. Then […]
Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Ethical? Ethics & Impact In The UK
- May 12, 2026
If you’re choosing between a lab-grown and a natural diamond, chances are you’ve already asked yourself: are lab-grown diamonds ethical? It’s a fair question, and one that doesn’t have a simple yes-or-no answer. Lab-grown diamonds are often marketed as the guilt-free alternative, but the full picture involves energy consumption, labour practices, and environmental trade-offs that […]
How to Create a Custom Wedding Band Design Online in the UK
- January 2, 2026
You want a wedding band that feels like yours, not something pulled from a standard collection. Maybe your engagement ring has a unique shape, or you want details that reflect your personal style. Off the shelf options rarely fit perfectly, and visiting multiple jewellers takes time you might not have. Creating a custom wedding band […]
GIA Diamond Shapes: Chart, Names & GIA Grading Explained
- June 7, 2026
Choosing a diamond starts with one decision that shapes everything else: the silhouette. Whether you’re drawn to a classic round brilliant or something more distinctive like a marquise or pear, understanding GIA diamond shapes gives you a real framework for comparing options, not just going by what "looks nice" in a photo. The Gemological Institute […]
IGI Report Number Check: Verify Your Diamond Online
- July 6, 2026
Every certified diamond comes with a unique report number from its grading laboratory, and if your stone was graded by the International Gemological Institute, running an IGI report number check is the fastest way to confirm exactly what you’re buying. It takes less than a minute, costs nothing, and gives you direct access to your […]
What Is A Diamond Certificate? Reports, Labs & Buyer Tips
- June 27, 2026
If you’re shopping for an engagement ring, you’ve probably come across the term and wondered, what is a diamond certificate? It’s a question we hear regularly at A Star Diamonds, and for good reason. A certificate (also called a grading report) is essentially your diamond’s independent quality assessment, issued by a gemological laboratory after detailed […]
Solitaire Bridal Sets: What They Are and How to Choose One
- July 19, 2026
Choosing a ring is hard enough. Choosing two rings that need to sit together on your finger for the rest of your life is another matter entirely. That’s where solitaire bridal sets come in, and it’s the search term that brings most couples to our door once they realise buying the engagement ring and wedding […]
6 Best White Gold Wedding Bands for Women in the UK
- August 3, 2026
Choosing a wedding band feels straightforward until you actually start browsing. Within minutes you’re weighing up 9ct against 18ct, plain against diamond-set, and wondering why two rings that look identical online carry such different price tags. If you’ve landed here searching for white gold wedding bands for women, you’re probably trying to work out which […]