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).
What Does a 2.14 Carat, Princess Shape Diamond Look Like on a Hand?
The illustration in this page shows an L 1/2 ring size; this is around the average size for a female. The apparent size for this 2.14 carat princess diamond will depend not just on the carat weight but as well on the width to length ratio of the finger the diamond ends up on.
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Some of my readers are men - if this is you and you're trying to calculate the right diamond size to buy for your other half, don't forget that the diamond will usually appear a lot larger on the hands of a woman, which are typically smaller.
