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).

Found: a 1.71 Carat F Color VS2 Clarity Ideal Cut Round Cut Diamond

Although diamonds graded G in color are sometimes classified as almost colorless diamonds, F color diamonds are safely assumed to belong to the colorless range.

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Shape: Round

Carat weight: 1.71

Cut: Ideal

Color: F

Clarity: VS2

Price: $19260

Certificate: GIA

Depth: 62.0%

Table: 57.0%

Polish: Very Good

Symmetry: Excellent

Girdle: Slightly thick

Culet: None

Fluorescence: None

Measurements: 7.64*7.66*4.74

Item number: 1281487

Click here to see the diamond at James Allen.

Click here to search for other diamonds at James Allen.

The size of this stone is 1.71 carats - but make sure you check out the other diamonds for sale with that same 1.71 weight that might have a better combinations of properties and price. To get some additional pointers on the "Slightly thick" girdle of this diamond, check out the article I wrote on girdle thickness. VS means Very Slightly Included - this VS2 clarity diamond contains some smaller inclusions that might or might not be easy to see at 10x magnification, but almost never visible using just the naked eye - although it can happen on the odd occasion. Although not quite as perfect a cut as Hearts & Arrows, the Ideal cut of this diamond results in it being significantly cheaper, because you're not paying a premium for a "perfectly" cut diamond.

F color diamonds are usually described as the colorless diamonds, being some of the purest white diamonds you can get. Throwing $19260 on a stone nets you a diamond well above the cut, like this one. A tip: sanity check that you're happy spending the money.