Diamond Buying Guide
Buying a diamond for the first time can be a bit overwhelming. Here at Stuart Kingston we want to make sure that you know exactly what it is you are investing in and all the things you will need to know before making that big decision.
How much do you want to spend?
Before you go out to the stores you should have some idea of what you can afford to spend.
The industry would tell you that you should be spending 3 months of your paycheck on that engagement ring. We want you to spend what you feel comfortable spending. We have many different diamonds to choose from in all shapes and sizes. Below are some helpful tips on what you should be looking for when buying a diamond.
Diamonds are priced on 4 different characteristics.
The cut of a diamond is probably the most important part of buying a diamond because it determines its sparkle or brilliance.
The better a diamond is cut the more sparkle will show. The cut of a diamond has to be proportioned properly, you never want it too deep or too shallow. The ideal proportions of a brilliant round diamond are 60% -61% depth, the top or table of the diamond should be 54%-57% and the crown angles should be around 35%. You will see all of these percentages when buying a diamond with the certificate (we will get into certificates later) but more importantly you will see the diamond sparkle much more when it is cut properly.
Cut
Color
Color is graded on a scale from D being the best all the way down to Z.
When you start the scale at D the diamond should look colorless. As you slide down the scale the color will turn to a more yellow brown. The less color the better. Typically you should be fine with a diamond in the D to J range. After that you will see more color.
Clarity of the diamond speaks about the internal flaws of a diamond.
Now almost every diamond has flaws, its been under enormous pressure in the earth for crying out loud so its not always going to be perfect but the less imperfections in the stone the better the stone will be.
The clarity scale goes as follows:
- FL or IL (flawless or Internally Flawless – these diamonds are extremely rare)
- VVS1-VVS2 (very, very slightly included- very difficult to see under 10x magnification)
- VS1-VS2 (Very slightly included – imperfections are not typically visible to the naked eye. These qualities are less expensive than the VVS1 or VVS2)
- SI1-SI2 (slightly included – imperfections are visible under 10X magnifications, still can be hard to see)
- I1-I3 ( included to heavily included- typically you will be able to see the imperfections with the naked eye.) We do not sell many I1-I3 diamonds.
Clarity
Carat Weight
