How to Buy A Diamond

A general rule of thumb when buying a diamond engagement ring is to spend "two months salary". This is just a guideline, and it is not carved in stone. Our perspective is that your first consideration should be what you can comfortably afford.

You also need to know a little about the 4 C's of Diamonds before you begin shopping.

A grading report (sometimes referred to as a “Certificate” or “Cert”) is a "blueprint" of a diamond, it tells you the diamond's exact measurements and weight, as well as the details of its cut and quality. It precisely points out all major individual characteristics of the stone. Grading Reports also serve as proof of the diamond's identity. The weight and measurements are hard facts, whereas the color and clarity are subjective, and could be off a grade.

A grading report describes the quality of a diamond, but it does not place a monetary value on the gem. An appraisal places a monetary value on your diamond, while only stating the quality of the diamond.

The two diamond grading labs that issue grading reports that are recognized as the premium grading labs in the world are, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the American Gem Society Lab (AGSL).

Shopping for diamonds with grading reports allows you to make an informed choice about your selections, and to comparison shop. You can compare one diamond with a particular weight and quality with other diamonds of similar weight and quality to determine which is the better value. You must remember that two diamonds with the same color and clarity may be hundreds or even thousands of dollars different in cost, based on cut, and were the inclusions are located in the stone. The prettier the diamond will always cost more.

Deciding on carat size is really about striking a balance between size and quality. If she prefers larger jewelry items, and you are working within a budget, you can still find a larger diamond by selecting one which is graded slightly lower in terms of color and clarity. This will help lower the cost of the stone.

Remember that slender fingers make small diamonds look bigger. If she has small fingers, a 1-carat diamond will look proportionately large -- and an even larger stone may appear stunningly big!

Think about what sort of setting will hold the diamond. You'll have to be sure that the setting you choose is made to fit the carat weight of your diamond.

CUT

An "Ideal Cut" diamond displays perfect symmetry and the highest possible cut grade. Every "Hearts and Arrows” diamond is an “Ideal Cut” stone, but every “Ideal Cut” diamond is not a "Hearts and Arrows” diamond . A "Hearts and Arrows” displays a perfect optical symmetry that is harder to achieve than "excellent" symmetry. It is such a perfect symmetry that it displays eight heart-shaped reflections when viewed through the pavilion of the stone. This perfect symmetry gem when viewed through the table, displays eight arrows, “Hearts & Arrows" cuts have seen an enormous growth in popularity since their discovery in Japan in the 1980s.