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).
2.81 Carat Princess Shape Diamond Actual Size
This page includes a useful picture showing you the apparent size of a 2.81 carat weight princess shape diamond, when it's actually on a typical woman's hand. If you search around on the web to find the actual size of a 2.81 carat weight princess shape diamond, you may notice the numbers will vary slightly - this is due to the fact that the size (16.4 mm for this 2.81 carat diamond) depends on things like cut as well. Some advice for how to use the information on this page is to initially narrow down your size range; then you can go into stores and try diamonds out in person, armed with this prior knowledge.
Fingers can be all different sizes, which should factor in to your decision regarding diamond size and shape.
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Diamonds are often magically "bigger" when you move them onto a woman's hand - so try to get a female shop assistant to put one on instead of putting it on your hand, which is probably much larger.
