Education & Transparency
The Diamond Guide
Everything you need to know before you invest — from Antwerp's trading floors to the four qualities that define every stone we place.
Why Antwerp?
Antwerp is not merely a city that trades diamonds — it is the city that defines the global diamond trade. For over five centuries, Hoveniersstraat and the surrounding streets of the Diamond District have housed the world's most influential cutters, polishers, and brokers. Today, roughly 85% of the world's rough diamonds pass through Antwerp at some stage of their journey.
What that means for you is access. When you commission a piece through TennisDiamonds, your stones are not arriving via an international distributor or a national wholesaler with three layers of margin baked in. We walk the same streets as the cutters. We sit across the table from the same families who have polished diamonds for generations.
Proximity to this supply chain translates directly into better stones at honest prices — and the ability to hand-select every diamond for your piece rather than accepting whatever a catalogue offers.
How We Source
TennisDiamonds operates as a private wholesaler — not a retail jeweller. That distinction matters enormously to the value you receive. Retail jewellers source stones from middlemen. We source directly from the cutters and from Antwerp's established trading houses, which means the stone you receive has had fewer hands between the mine and your wrist.
Every diamond we select is accompanied by a GIA or HRD certificate — the two most respected grading laboratories in the world. We do not accept uncertified stones, and we do not use in-house grading that can be manipulated to flatter a stone's quality.
When you submit a configuration or request a consultation, Shay personally reviews the brief and sources candidates from the current supply. You receive a curated selection — not the one stone a catalogue happened to have in stock.
The 4 C's Explained
GIA established the four characteristics that define every diamond's quality. Understanding them lets you make an informed decision — and helps you see the difference a single grade can make in beauty and price.
Cut
The most important C — determines how brilliantly the stone reflects light.
Cut does not refer to shape (round, oval, princess) — it refers to how well the diamond's facets interact with light. A perfectly cut stone will appear dramatically more brilliant than a well-coloured, high-clarity stone with a poor cut. We source Excellent and Very Good cut grades only for our tennis pieces.
Colour
GIA grades from D (colourless) to Z (warm yellow). For tennis jewellery, D–G is ideal.
In white diamond jewellery, less colour means more value. The difference between D and E is invisible to the naked eye, yet significant in price. For a tennis bracelet or necklace where many stones sit side-by-side, consistent colour across all stones matters as much as the individual grade. We match stones closely so no single diamond appears warmer or colder than its neighbours.
Our recommendation: D–G for white gold and platinum settings. H–I for yellow or rose gold where warmth harmonises with the metal.
Clarity
Internal characteristics (inclusions) graded from Flawless to Included.
Clarity grades describe the presence and visibility of inclusions — tiny internal features formed during a diamond's growth. In a tennis bracelet, individual stones are small (often 0.05–0.20ct each), which means inclusions are harder to spot even at lower clarity grades. Understanding the scale helps you make an informed decision based on your priorities — whether that's absolute perfection, or the best visual result within your budget.
Carat
Weight, not size — but directly related to visual impact and price per stone.
One carat equals 200 milligrams. In a tennis bracelet, the "carat weight" you see in listings typically refers to the total carat weight — the sum of all stones. A 10ct tennis bracelet at F/VS1 might have 100 stones at 0.10ct each. Understanding this distinction helps you compare pieces fairly. Higher carat per stone means each diamond is larger and more visually dominant — not just heavier in total.
Approximate relative sizes of round brilliant diamonds by carat weight.
Natural Diamonds Only
We are deliberate about our position: TennisDiamonds does not offer lab-grown diamonds. This is not a marketing position — it is a considered stance on value, rarity, and longevity.
Lab-grown diamonds are chemically identical to natural diamonds. But they are not rare. Production costs fall every year, and their resale value has already collapsed significantly from where it stood just five years ago. A natural diamond formed over billions of years in the Earth's mantle holds a fundamentally different relationship to scarcity than a stone grown in a reactor over three weeks.
Our clients invest in pieces that hold meaning across time — pieces passed down, commemorated, worn for decades. For that kind of jewellery, we believe natural diamonds are the only appropriate choice. If you are looking for lab-grown, we will respectfully refer you elsewhere.
Our Process
From your first message to the moment the piece arrives — here is exactly what to expect when you work with TennisDiamonds.
Reach Out
Contact us via WhatsApp, our consultation form, or use the configurator tool to share your initial brief. There is no commitment at this stage — just a conversation.
Brief & Budget
Shay reviews your requirements and schedules a call or in-person meeting at Hoveniersstraat 40, Antwerp. We discuss your brief, preferences, and realistic budget to align expectations before any sourcing begins.
Stone Selection
We source candidates from the Antwerp market — certified, hand-selected, matched for consistency. You receive a curated shortlist with certificates and pricing before any commitment.
Crafting & Setting
Approved stones go to our trusted Antwerp workshop. For tennis pieces, each stone is individually set and inspected. Bespoke designs are reviewed at each stage. Typical production time is 3–5 weeks.
Secure Delivery
Your piece is delivered insured and in person where possible, or via secure courier with full insurance. Certificates, care instructions, and after-care support are included with every piece.
Ready to Begin?
Use our configurator to share your brief, or request a private consultation directly with Shay.