How to Find the Biggest & Best Diamonds in Hatton Garden on a Budget

At just 17, Jack immersed himself in the world of fine jewellery and has since achieved a business degree, DGA, CIA and AJP qualifications. With over a decade of experience, Jack is our go-to on everything lab diamond-related.

To some, size matters. Whilst we’d usually encourage you to prioritise the cut and beauty of your diamond, there are several ways to ensure you find the biggest (and still, the best quality) diamond for your budget.
Read on to discover Queensmith’s top gemmologists' secrets to finding the biggest and best Hatton Garden diamond for every budget. Diamonds come in a variety of shapes, sizes and qualities. Aside from our usual advice to familiarise yourself with the 4Cs when choosing your diamond, here’s a roundup of our 8 savviest tips for finding the best diamond.
1. Browse & Buy Diamonds In Hatton Garden

Hatton Garden is the heart of the UK’s jewellery scene – meaning we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to finding the best diamonds for you. Whilst searching through diamonds for the perfect stone is no mean feat, there is no better place to search than the UK’s diamond hub – where you’ll find the best range and highest quality diamonds. If you are wondering why Hatton Garden is popular, you can discover Hatton Garden's history through our guide.
2. ‘Under’ & ‘Oversized’ Diamonds

Carat weight largely drives diamond price
Finding a diamond in Hatton Garden, or even in the world’s global supply, that is ‘oversized’ or ‘undersized’ is not easy. You need to manage your expectations – but know that if you find one it’ll be a great purchase. What does it mean? Diamonds are priced to the rounded decimal – the value increments increase significantly with each rounded decimal (whether that’s 0.50ct, 1.00ct or 1.50ct, and so on). An example of an ‘oversized’ diamond would be 1.04ct which, technically is larger than 1ct, but would carry a price tag closer to a 1ct stone. An ‘undersized’, for example 0.97ct, would cost significantly less than 1ct despite a very slight visual difference.
If you want to understand more about diamond carat and the size of a 1 carat diamond, read our One Carat Diamond Ring Buying Guide.
3. Choose Diamond Shapes That Appear Bigger

Oval diamonds appear larger than many other shapes of the same carat weight
Round brilliant diamonds are the most classic, popular and sparkly of diamond shapes. However, they don’t always appear the largest when compared to fancy diamond shapes of the same carat weight. Another benefit of fancy diamond shapes is that they can be a little cheaper than rounds (carat for carat) as less diamond is wasted during the cutting process. Choose a diamond that’s elongated in shape, such as an oval, pear, marquise or rectangular radiant cut diamond. Oval diamond cut engagement rings appear larger than many other shapes of the same carat weight.
4. Consider Brilliant Cut Diamonds

Brilliant diamonds, such as rounds, emit intense sparkle
A ‘brilliant’ cut essentially equates to a super sparkly diamond, particularly when the diamond cut grade is ‘excellent’ or at least ‘very good’. Brilliant cut diamonds are faceted to optimise light return within the stone (as opposed to ‘step’ cuts, which showcase the clarity of the diamond). The more sparkle, the larger the diamond looks! View the top diamonds like rounds, ovals, cushions and radiants from Queensmith's bespoke engagement ring collection to see the majesty of brilliant cuts.
5. Meet With Hatton Garden’s Diamond Experts

Queensmith's consultants are qualified gemmology experts
No one knows diamonds better than a trained gemmologist. Not all jewellers use in-house gemmologists to source their diamonds, so it’s important you find a jeweller that really knows what they’re selling. At Queensmith, our gemmologist consultants are passionate and dedicated to sourcing the best diamonds for each individual client and their budget. If you feel size is an important factor to maximise, let your gemmologist know. They’ll use their intricate knowledge to find the perfect combination of the 4Cs to find the best diamonds for you.
6. Lower Diamond Clarity And Colour Grades

Lower the clarity and colour of your diamond search to reduce the cost
Finding the perfect diamond for you is a balancing act between each of the 4Cs. Typically, the ‘diamond cut’ is the most important to consider - anything less than an ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’ can appear smaller than ideal for the carat weight, or larger but lacking lustre and sparkle. Instead of compromising on cut, lower the diamond clarity and colour grades to boost the size of your diamond. Ideally, choose a colour grade above F and clarity grade above SI1, and instead put your money towards an excellent cut and optimal carat size.
In Hatton Garden, diamonds are sometimes sold without decent consideration of these points, so choose a jewellers with the ability to explain why each diamond will or won’t be a great purchase, in explicit detail. At Queensmith, we’ll always explain each diamond’s characteristics in depth, with the impartial aid of its GIA certification (or IGI for lab diamonds). At Queensmith, we have a collection of lab grown diamond rings that are not only ethical and sustainable but also fully certified and to suit a range of budgets.
7. Consider A Coloured Gemstone

A sapphire and diamond halo ring boasts colour and sparkle
You may be certain that a diamond is the stone for your engagement ring, but if you’re not a total traditionalist, you might want to consider a coloured gemstone. Carat for carat, sapphires, rubies and emeralds tend to cost less than diamonds, meaning the size of the gemstone you choose will likely be larger than a diamond of the equivalent cost. The most popular alternative to diamonds, sapphire engagement rings make beautiful romantic gestures with unique charm and colourful character.
8. Choose A Design To Accentuate Your Diamond

A series of small diamonds around the centre diamond will boost the size of the ring
There are certain ways to maximise the look of your diamond, and your ring as a whole, without having to splurge on a diamond beyond your budget. The first solution: choose a halo engagement ring. With halo engagement rings, you can sacrifice some carat weight on the centre diamond and achieve a larger look with melee diamonds set around the centre stone - multiple diamonds of the same total carat weight as one diamond will be less expensive. Read our post, Should I Choose A Diamond Halo Ring? for more info.
Alternatively, choosing a super simple design means saving on the cost of extra metal work. You can browse solitaire engagement rings for a simple engagement ring and put the rest of your budget towards one diamond.
Buying Your Diamond Engagement Ring In Hatton Garden
Ready to start your diamond search and begin the engagement ring hunt? If you’d like a little more information, know exactly what you want, or would like to hear from the experts, we’re here to help – just drop us a message.
At Queensmith, we create our rings from scratch, allowing you the opportunity to create the perfect setting for the diamond you choose. It’ll be tailor made to the specificities of your diamond, and with your personal design details in mind. Whether you want to create something totally original, or recreate one of our classic designs, we’ll be able to help you iron out the details, find the best diamond, and craft your unique engagement ring in 4 to 5 weeks.