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 Size of a 1.19 Carat Princess Shape Diamond
Carat weight does not always mean a lot until you see it in context - this article provides a hand as "context" to simulate the apparent size of a 1.19 carat size diamond with a princess shape. A princess shape diamond with a carat size of 1.19 is typically about 5.9 mm long on the side, although this can depend on the depth of the cut.
While this picture will give you an approximate idea of how big a diamond will seem when viewed on the hand, remember that the size of the ring you pick or need could be quite different in size to that shown in this image. 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 try diamonds out in person, armed with this prior knowledge.
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Some of my readers are men - if this is you and you're trying to calculate the right size of diamond to buy for your other half, don't forget that the diamond will usually appear much larger on her smaller, more petite hands.
