When Portuguese sailors first encountered a large flightless bird on the island of Mauritius, they were struck by its ludicrous clumsy appearance and the ease with which they were able to catch it. They christened it the doudo, the Portuguese word for stupid. Even the bird’s Latin name (Didus ineptus) emphasized its silliness. Since doudos, or dodos, tasted delicious, they were extinct – hence the origin of the expression “as dead as a dodo.”

Buying an expensive piece of jewellery can be a daunting task these days. There is now a flood of information available to consumers, but not all of it is accurate or even correct.

You may read a number of online buying guides, each making entirely contrary recommendations. Things could then get even more difficult when the jeweller makes a further, alternate recommendation.

This article hopes to clear up a few of the myths and misdirections and hopefully give you some guidelines and direction for your diamond purchase.