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).

Today's Diamond - 1.73 Carat H Color SI1 Clarity Ideal Cut Round Cut Diamond

A small select group of people will fret about what this SI1 clarity diamond looks like in terms of clarity under a 10x scope; most people should just concern themselves with what it looks like to the naked human eye.

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Shape: Round

Carat weight: 1.73

Cut: Ideal

Color: H

Clarity: SI1

Price: $12900

Certificate: GIA

Depth: 62.4%

Table: 58.0%

Polish: Excellent

Symmetry: Very Good

Girdle: Slightly thick

Culet: None

Fluorescence: Faint

Measurements: 7.61*7.65*4.76

Item number: 1318426

Click here to see the diamond at James Allen.

Click here to search for other diamonds at James Allen.

Throwing $12900 on a stone nets you a well above average diamond, like this one. A tip: sanity check that you're happy spending the money. If you are looking at this diamond and thinking to yourself that you want to improve other characteristics of the diamond which don't affect size, you may wish to reduce the 1.73 carat weight for this diamond to achieve that end.

The H color of this diamond offers great value, since it isn't one of the expensive premium color grades D-F. SI stands for Slightly Included; that means this SI1 stone contains inclusions that are certainly visible at 10 x magnification and may often be visible to the naked eye, but which offer the potential for bargains if they are not.

The Girdle Thickness of this stone is "Slightly thick" - you can consult my article on diamond girdles if you want to find out more concerning how girdle thickness can play an important role.

Several diamond sellers will provide an Ideal cut diamond cut grading, and these diamonds are almost always (as is the situation here) perfect with respect to proportions and the overall shape.