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).

Picked for You: 3.08 Carat H Color VS2 Clarity Ideal Cut Round Cut Diamond

Many diamond buyers eventually settle on a H color, VS2 clarity diamond like this one because after they have done their homework, they think it is the best option balancing price and quality.

Sponsored Links

Shape: Round

Carat weight: 3.08

Cut: Ideal

Color: H

Clarity: VS2

Price: $52640

Certificate: GIA

Depth: 59.9%

Table: 60.0%

Polish: Excellent

Symmetry: Excellent

Girdle: Thin to medium

Culet: None

Fluorescence: Faint

Measurements: 9.47*9.51*5.68

Item number: 1259896

Click here to see the diamond at James Allen.

Click here to search for other diamonds at James Allen.

While not quite as perfect a cut as Hearts & Arrows, the Ideal cut of this diamond means it is significantly cheaper, because you're not forking out money for a "perfectly" cut diamond. An untrained eye won't see the color in this H color diamond, unless the stone is compared side by side with a higher color grade diamond (for multistone rings this is important). If you are a careful online buyer, then this VS2 clarity diamond is relatively safe bet, because the chances are low of it having any inclusions that are visible to the naked eye.

Take note of this diamond's girdle description - "Thin to medium" - and if you don't know about girdle thickness, go have a read of my short explanation of girdle thicknesses.