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).

What Does a 1.29 Carat, Princess Shape Diamond Look Like on a Hand?

This article provides you with some concept of how big a 1.29 carat weight princess shape diamond will appear when seen on the female hand. A good tip to follow is to use pictures like this one to initially narrow down your size range, and then to go into stores and actually try a few different sized princess shape diamond rings on, armed with this prior knowledge. Fingers that are long and slender will change how a diamond appears as much as the carat size of the diamond - so look beyond just considering the 1.29 carat weight of this princess stone.

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Don't stress if diamonds and the costs are getting you down; since a diamond will most likely appear bigger on a woman's hand, the diamond size you need may be smaller than you think.