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).
2.33 Carat Diamonds
Each carat in a 2.33 carat diamond is equivalent to 233 points, so a 2.33 carat diamond is the same as a 233 point diamond. The width of a diamond with a weight of 2.33 carats is about 8.68 mm.
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If you like playing with numbers, one analysis method you can use for examining diamonds is to divide the cost of the diamond by the number of carats to get the cost per carat metric.
Be careful of assigning too much importance to the carat weight of the diamond while neglecting other properties such as the girdle thickness, which is to wide can make the diamond appear smaller than other diamonds of the same carat weight. One trick for saving money when buying a diamond is to choose a diamond which has a carat weight just below a popular number, such as buying a 0.98 carat diamond instead of a one carat diamond.
My crown is in my heart, not in my head, Nor decked with diamonds and Indian stones, Nor to be seen; my crown is called contentment; A crown it is, that seldom kings enjoy. William Shakespeare .
Is a handy hint - as well as searching for 2.33 diamonds, try starting your search by examining another property of the diamond, for instance the name of an online jewellery store you would be happy to buy a diamond from.
One thing that surprised me when i bought an engagement ring, is how much bigger the diamond appeared on a female finger compared with when viewed alone. Ruby and sapphire are two gemstones which are significantly denser than diamond, which is why a one carat ruby or sapphire will generally looks smaller than a one carat diamond, if you've ever been confused in a store.
A major rookie mistake in buying a diamond ring is to get the total diamond weight (tdw) and the weight of the centre diamond mixed up - make sure you don't make this mistake.
A large diamond which has a huge crack down the middle, or alternatively a big yucky looking inclusion, is not a good look - it looks like someone has gone for size and sacrificed all the other desirable properties of the diamond. Clarity, for example, can be just as important in picking a diamond.
