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).
Princess Shape, 0.95 Carat Diamond Size on Hand
This article has a useful illustration that gives you the apparent size of a 0.95 carat weight princess shape diamond, when viewed in place on the hand of a woman. Carat weight doesn't tell the whole story - the type of cut will also play a role in the apparent size of the rock - for a 0.95 carat princess like this one, the size would be around 5.4 mm .
While this picture will give you an approximate idea of how massive a diamond will appear viewed on the hand, remember that the ring size you pick or need could be quite different in size to that shown in this image.
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A good tip to follow is to use pictures like this one to initially narrow down your size range; then you can go into stores and try diamonds out in person, armed with this prior knowledge.
