How to get the most diamond for your money
If you’re ready to hit the street with your hard-earned cash to uncover the biggest, brightest diamond for your money, there are few things you should know first.
Let’s start with a word about carat.
Carat describes your stone’s weight, not its size. That said, carat is often referred to in terms of diamond size and used to indicate the general proportions of a stone as it increases or decreases in weight.
In high street stores, diamonds are generally available in standard sizes (described in terms of carats).
That means that when you decide to jump up to the next size (weight), your diamond will increase by a quarter, half or full carat each time, depending on the regular sizes that are stocked in the store.
What retailers don’t want you to know is that diamonds that weigh slightly under the standard size cost much less!
When it comes to diamonds, price is not pro-rata.
You can save considerably by choosing a diamond that is for example 3% less than the half carat size, while maintaining the illusion of the larger stone. This is referred to as “good spread”.
For example, if you have your heart set on a 1.5-carat stone, opting for a 1.46-carat could save a lot of money while not looking any different on your finger to the stone of the larger weight and size.
Carat weight is spread evenly across the entire diamond. When you choose a stone that is slightly less weight than the standard quarter, half or full carat size, the untrained naked eye cannot tell the difference.
Keep these extra tips in mind too:
The size of your hand/finger: if you have small, delicate hands your stone will appear larger than it would if you had longer fingers.
The cut of the diamond: People think the once they get the colour grade and clarity right they have a good diamond. This is only partly correct. There really is no use in spending very good money on a stone with a sparkle that is not very intense. A key concern when selecting a diamond should be, “How well is my diamond cut?”
The diameter of the diamond: Theoretically the size of a diamond is measured in millimetres. This will also be important when determining how your stone(s) will look when set into your intended ring design. Try not to get too caught up in ‘the size’ as this can lead to much less quality. If you get the ‘quality’ right, you’ll have no regrets.
Keen to know more? Check the next in my blog series where a little-known secret about clarity may just blow your socks off!
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