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).

0.26 Carat Princess Shape Diamond Sizes on Hand

This article gives you some concept of how large a 0.26 carat size princess shape stone will appear when viewed on a typical hand of a woman. The precise size of a 0.26 carat size princess shape diamond depends on other factors such as cut, but is usually in the ballpark of around 3.8 mm along one square edge.

The picture in this page shows an L 1/2 ring size, which is typical or perhaps on the small side of typical for a female ring.

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Pictures can sometimes be a little dependent on the viewer - I've tried to make this one as clear as possible, but remember viewing the diamond in person will give you a very different judgement of size to viewing it on the internet.

Fingers can vary in terms of their apparent width and breadth, which should factor in to your decision about what shape and size of diamond to get.