How to choose the right diamond?

As much as we know about diamonds and hear about them very often in the media, when the time comes to purchase a diamond, the beginner inevitably finds himself lost among the infinite possible combinations of color, cut, clarity and price.

So how do you choose a diamond?

This article, structured in the form of a guide, aims to support you so that the choice of diamond is relatively simple and within the limits of your budget.

This will give you the best diamond for the price you set.

First of all you need to know that diamonds, like any luxury product, require certain knowledge to be appreciated and chosen among others.

Rule 4C governing diamond grading is a separate language that you need to familiarize yourself with if you want to understand your jewelry contacts or make your choice online.

This article simply explains the 4Cs of diamonds.

Practical advice for making your choice

Now that you understand the terms used to describe the quality of a diamond, you can methodically proceed with your choice as follows:

1. Choose the shape of the diamond cut

Identifier the shape of the diamond that you want for your jewelry project or for the person you want to offer this diamond to.

There are just over a dozen cut shapes for diamonds, but 90% of diamonds sold are round diamonds.

For that?

Well, it is the shape of the diamond cut that, when it is of good quality, offers maximum brilliance to the stone.

The next most common cut shape is the princess cut which works well for contemporary jewelry designs.

Article providing further information on diamond cutting shapes.

The shape affects the price of the diamond to some extent. In fact, the most popular shapes are more expensive for the same weight and quality than the others, as this image demonstrates.

2. Define the weight of your diamond

Choose the minimum weight your diamond will have.

This will help you make your choice.

Note that the weight and size of the diamond are necessarily linked. But at the same weight, two diamonds of identical shape can have slightly different dimensions, taking into account the quality of the cut of the diamonds.

This article explains diamond carat.

3. Choose in descending order of quality

Having decided on the shape and weight of the diamond, choose the highest quality diamond and make concessions in the order:

• First of all on the purity of the diamond. Being evaluated by professionals with a 10 magnifying glass under a special light, if you are a beginner you will not know the difference between a VVS, VS or SI diamond. (more information via this article)
• Then, regarding the color of the diamond, it is very difficult to see the difference in tone from one color grade to another, even for an expert. You can therefore make concessions on this criterion without altering the visual appearance of your diamond.

• So about the quality of the size. Since this is the predominant factor that affects the brilliance of the diamond, it is necessary, as far as possible, to choose a diamond of the best possible size. Here is the GIA size quality scale of decreasing quality from left to right.

The following diagram shows the influence of a good quality cut diamond on its brilliance. This article on the topic will provide you with good additional information.

If after following these steps you are still out of budget, you should consider reviewing the weight of the diamond you wish to purchase and starting this selection process again.

4. Useful tips to make your choice at the best price

The size of the diamond and the color of the setting affect your perception of the color of the diamond.

Therefore, if your diamond is less than 1 carat and will be set in yellow gold or rose gold, you can choose a K color for the diamond without it being visible.

This allows you to make a concession on the color and therefore on the price that will not be visually noticed.

Diamonds weighing just below the most popular weights (0.25/0.5 or 1 carat) generally have a lower price per carat.

A 0.49 carat diamond is often cheaper than a 0.5 carat diamond even though it may be the same diameter and therefore have no visible difference to the eye.

Fancy cut diamonds (other than round diamonds) are generally less expensive for the same weight and quality

You might also be interested in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk6d3FcIcAk

Here are some examples of diamond rings made in our goldsmith workshop:

To go further: