One of the questions I'm asked most often is, "How do you know if a piece of jewellery is really good?"

It's a fair question. To most people, two rings might look almost identical in a photograph. Both might be made by the same jewellery house. Both might have similar-sized diamonds.

But once you've spent years handling fine jewellery, you start to notice the details that aren't obvious at first glance.

They're the details that make me stop and take a closer look.

The craftsmanship

The first thing I notice is how the piece has been made. Not how big the diamond is, or even the brand name stamped inside the band.

I look at the finish, the proportions, how the stones are set and how everything comes together. Exceptional jewellery has a balance to it that's difficult to describe until you've seen enough of it.

It's often those small details that separate a beautiful piece from an extraordinary one.

The condition

Condition tells a story. Has the piece been cared for? Has it been altered? Has it been polished so many times that the hallmarks have started to soften?

Two pieces can leave the same workshop decades apart and look almost identical online, yet one will be far more desirable simply because it has been looked after.

It's one of the reasons I inspect every piece personally before it joins the Luminary collection.

The weight

This often surprises people. Quality jewellery usually has a reassuring weight in the hand. Not because it's heavy for the sake of it, but because it has been made properly.

It's one of those things you only really appreciate when you compare exceptional craftsmanship with something made to a lower standard.

The hallmarks and signatures

Hallmarks tell you who made a piece, where it was assayed and often when it was created. Designer signatures can be just as important.

I always enjoy examining these details because they help tell the story of the jewellery. They also provide confidence that a piece is exactly what it claims to be.

The stones

People naturally notice size first. I tend to notice life.

How the diamonds catch the light. Whether the gemstones have been well matched. Whether they suit the design rather than simply making it more expensive.

Exceptional jewellery isn't about using the largest stones possible. It's about using the right stones in exactly the right way.

The design

The best jewellery never feels like it's trying too hard. Some designs remain desirable for decades because they're beautifully proportioned and incredibly wearable. Others capture a moment in time and become iconic for that very reason.

Either way, exceptional design always feels intentional.

How it makes you feel

This is the hardest thing to explain. Every now and then I'll pick up a piece and immediately know it's something special.

It isn't just the craftsmanship or the condition or the rarity. It's the combination of all those things, along with a feeling that someone really cared when it was created.

Those are the pieces I get excited about finding.

There isn't one secret

People often ask me for the single thing they should look for when buying fine jewellery. The truth is, there isn't one.

Exceptional jewellery is the result of lots of things coming together: craftsmanship, condition, quality, design and history. Over the years I've learnt to trust those details.

They're the same details I look for every time I buy a piece for Luminary Fine Jewellery.

Because if I wouldn't be proud to own it myself, I wouldn't expect anyone else to either.