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).

The Two Carat Plus Range

Once you get above two carats, you're really venturing into the rarest of diamonds. If you're searching for diamonds that are larger than two carats using any of the online diamond companies websites, your notice that the number of available diamonds drops right down. Only a small percentage of people are able to afford diamonds much larger than two carats, and many of them are celebrities. As with the two carat diamonds, if you are looking for a bargain consider the SI1 and SI2 clarity diamonds, looking for one that appears clean to the naked eye.

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