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).
Actual Diamond Sizes of a 1.04 Carat Diamond
The image displayed here presents the real diamond size on a hand of a 1.04 carat diamond for a typical woman's hand size. If you are hesitant to put too much stock in a simple picture, what you can do is measure the width of your finger and compare it to the 6.6 mm mean diameter for a diamond of size 1.04 carats. I've used the most common engagement ring size, which is size 6, for the illustration, which has an internal diameter of 16.5 mm or 0.65 inches. You should be aware that picture like this one are just that - only illustrative - women's hand sizes can vary hugely.
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Also take into account the width and overall length of your fingers. If you are stressing about how expensive diamonds are but are still really set on getting one, here's one piece of good news - the diamonds invariably look bigger when put on the hand, especially if her hand is on the smaller side.
Go searching for diamonds this size at James Allen by clicking on the banner below and dragging the carat slider to the appropriate setting:
