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).
Actual Diamond Sizes of a 1.25 Carat Diamond
Try to use the 7.0 mm mean width of a 1.25 carat stone by measuring the size of your finger in order to get an idea at home of how big the diamond would appear. Be aware that picture such as this one are limited in what they can show - female hand sizes can vary hugely.
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Compare the size of the woman's hand and the man's hand in the illustration - it's obvious that the woman's hand is much smaller and more petite (which is usually the case), so the diamond appears larger on her hand than it would appear to be on his.
Go searching for diamonds this size at James Allen by clicking on the banner below and dragging the carat slider to the appropriate setting:
