What’s harder than a diamond? Buying one. We’ve curated the best diamonds based on getting the loudest DUH for your buck – the shiniest, biggest diamond certified by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) for the most competitive pricing.
But if you want to pick out a diamond yourself, here are some tips on how to pass by industry propaganda and get the right diamond for you at the best deal:
Color
Diamonds are graded based on color from D – Z, D being completely colorless and Z being some sort of champagne color. According to GIA’s grading D – F is colorless, G – J is considered a white diamond and below that diamonds start having a yellow tint. In our collection, all the diamonds are H and above.
Typically people want their diamonds as white as possible. The differences between one shade and the next are very subtle, so grading is done under controlled lighting, using a master diamond sample set for comparison and accuracy. Sometimes the science of the color grading process can be not just overwhelming but a little bit irrelevant. Distinguishing between, for example, off off white and a shade of colorless, could only be done when you compare two diamonds side by side with the diamond facing down. When the diamond is actually set in a ring, the diamond is facing up and even if it’s beside another diamond, the slight difference in shade is not noticeable.
Pro Tip: G-I is what we recommend for white gold. If you choose yellow or rose gold for the setting, you can even sometimes go down to a K and the diamond will still look white.
Clarity
Since diamonds are created close to the core of the earth, and only surfaces at the time of a giant volcanic eruption, there are typically other mineral inclusions in the diamond. Clarity refers to these inclusions and is typically one of the biggest diamond price factors. A gemologist will examine a diamond under 10x magnification and give it a grade from FL – I3, FL being completely flawless and I3 being full of inclusions. Our diamonds are SI1 and higher which means the inclusions are so small that with the naked eye they are completely invisible.
Pro Tip: In some cases, the inclusion would be on the rim area of the diamond. When you put the diamond in a setting, the prongs or bezel will completely cover up the imperfection, never to be seen as long as it’s in the setting. Keeping this in mind while browsing diamonds is a great way to save money.
Cut
A diamond’s cut can mean two things – the shape or the exact grade of how beautiful the diamond sparkles and reflects light. When it comes to the 4Cs, we mean the latter one, which technically has to do with the facets. An excellent diamond has precise, mathematical proportions and reflects light internally from one mirror-like facet to another and disperses it through the top of the gem. In terms of making her say DUH, we think the Cut is incredibly important because we want that ring to shine like nothing else.
There are 5 cut grades, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. In our collection, all the diamonds are Very Good and higher.
Pro Tip:
Cut is the biggest factor of how much the diamond sparkles but ironically it has the least effect on the price per carat. Bottom line, the better the cut the better the sparkle, so we recommend getting the best cut grade you can.
Carat
The number one biggest price factor on your diamond is the carat weight. One carat is 200 milligrams. But are we looking for a heavy diamond or one that looks big? What is relevant for making her say DUH is the millimeter diameter size. Two stones with the same carat weight could have a different diameter size. The diameter size, not the carat weight, is what determines how big the diamond actually looks.
Pro Tip: Pay less attention to the carat weight and more attention to the diameter size. The bottom line is getting the biggest looking diamond not the heaviest diamond.
