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).
Michael Hill Jewellers
Michael Hill is a relatively new jewellery store chain, with the first store opening in 1979 in Whangarei. They've grown quickly since then, with their 100th store opening in 2004. In 2008 they made moves to buy 17 stores in the United States so they could enter the US market - always a brave move. They had already entered the Canadian market in 2002 on their way to a goal of 1000 stores.
Sponsored Links
Of incidental interest, Michael Hill currently sponsors the New Zealand Golf Open and an International Violin competition.
