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 Size of a 0.58 Carat Princess Shape Diamond

Carat weight isn't the be all and end all - the depth of the diamond's cut will also influence the apparent size of the diamond - for a 0.58 carat princess like this one, the size would be around 5.0 mm . The photo 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. The size of a woman's hand vary a lot between women - just look around you when you're next in public - so this picture can only provide the apparent diamond size for a typical size ring.

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Think about the ratio between the length and width of a finger - this ratio can play an important role in how massive and suitable a diamond appears when it is slipped in a ring onto the hand. There's no need to freak out if diamonds and the costs are making you worry; since a diamond will most likely appear bigger on a woman's hand, the diamond size you need may be smaller than you think.