Quick and Easy Buying Guide

Carat weight: 1 carat = 200 milligrams = 6.5 mm diameter. Doubling weight doesn't double diameter.

Diamond clarity: FL/IF/VVS/VS = super expensive, near perfect. SI = best value if you can check a photo for obvious inclusions (defects).

 

Color: D-G = colorless, expensive, only if you have money to burn. H-J = best value. Can go lower in gold metal settings than white metal.

Cut: Better cut ratings let more light into a diamond, making it sparkle more. Very important property, don't skimp here.

Set a budget and minimum cut (Premium). Go J color for gold and I/H for white metals. Go searching for SI1/SI2 clarity diamonds at James Allen. Pick a diamond with small/no inclusions. Choose a ring setting and buy it risk-free (60-day returns).

Diamond Carat Size on Hand - The Small Diamonds - 0.05 to 0.49 Carats

You’ll be surprised by how significant these small diamonds look on a hand, especially on the female hand. If you’re set on getting a diamond rather than a semi-precious gemstone, but don’t have a lot of money to spend, you’ll probably be looking in this range. One of the things people always want to know is whether it’s worth getting a diamond that is “so small” – the answer to that is unequivocally “yes!”

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The links below go to individual pages that show the size of a diamond of a certain carat weight on a typical female hand – this should give you an idea of what the diamond will look like. You can go between pages and compare how much of a difference going up in carat size makes – it may not be as much as you thought! The pages are organized in order of increasing diamond size.