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 1.96 Carat Princess Shape Diamond

When searching on the web for princess shape diamond sizes, you may pick up that the numbers are slightly different across different sites - this is due to the fact that the size (7.7 mm for this 1.96 carat diamond) can depend on the cut, not just the carat weight. The visual size of this 1.96 carat weight princess-shaped diamond will be affected not only by the carat weight but also on the width to length ratio of the ring finger it is placed on.

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Don't stress if diamonds and the dollars involved are making you worry - because the diamond will appear larger on her hand, the diamond size you need may be smaller than you think.