Before you start shopping for a diamond, it's best to set a budget. This can narrow down your search and help you find a diamond that falls within your price range.
An Excellent Cut Makes All the Difference
An excellent cut diamond has perfect proportions and exhibits optimal brilliance and fire as it reflects the maximum possible light. A diamond that grades highly in all the other characteristics but poorly in cut can still appear dull and smaller than a better cut diamond due to its below-par specifications.
Go for Near-Colourless
There are five categories: colourless (D–F), near colourless (G–J), faint (K–M), very light (N–R) and light (S–Z) — these depend on the presence of yellow, brown or grey within a diamond. For the best value, choose a near colourless diamond as no detectable colour can be seen unless it is placed next to a diamond with a much higher colour grade.
Buy Shy of Carat Weights
The price per carat of a diamond jumps significantly at the half-carat mark and more so at the full carat mark. To get the most out of your money, it's best to buy shy of these carat weights so that you stay within the lower price bracket. The visual difference between a 0.90 and a 1.00 carat is minimal.
Higher Carat Isn't Always Better
Carat refers to a diamond's weight, not its proportions or size. Sometimes a higher carat diamond comes at the cost of a lower cut, colour, and/or clarity. Choosing the right diamond should strike a balance between your budget and the 4C's.
Save with a VS Clarity
Clarity refers to whether there are inclusions on or within a diamond, with grades ranging from IF (internally flawless) to SI1–SI2 (slightly included). To get the best bang for your buck, go for a clarity grade of VS2 or higher. Diamonds at this clarity are considered “eye clean”, meaning any imperfections are only seen under a microscope and not by the naked eye.
Consider Fancy Shapes
Round diamonds are the most popular but also the most expensive. Fancy shaped diamonds on the other hand are more unique and can look larger than round diamonds with the same carat weight. Fancy shaped diamonds come in nine different shapes: princess, emerald, asscher, cushion, radiant, pear, oval, marquise and heart.
