Whether you are asking your sweetheart to spend the rest of her life with you or if you are finally tying the knot – your go-to choice would be diamond rings. But choosing the right one can be a tricky task. There are so many different choices you can end up confused and leave the store overwhelmed. To make your decision a little bit easier here is a stepwise guide to choosing a diamond ring.
When buying diamonds, there are four Cs that you have to keep in mind:
Cut
This is the most important aspect that you have to consider as it affects the sparkle of the diamond. Even if the clarity and the color of the diamond are absolutely perfect, but it is not cut well, the diamond would look dull or glassy. The cut of the stone is crucial as that is what reflects the light that ultimately causes the sparkle.
Color
This is the second important aspect that you have to take into account while choosing diamond rings. The color of the diamond actually represents the value, the less color the stone has, the higher the grade of the diamond. There are 8 main color categories.
- D: Absolutely colorless, which is the highest grade of diamond, but is also very rare.
- E: Colourless but can have slight traces of color that may be detected by an expert.
- F: Colourless but has minute traces of color.
- G: Nearly colorless, they have color, but it is difficult to detect unless you compare it with better grade diamonds.
- H: Slightly more color than the G grade diamonds.
- I: These have a slight warm undertone that can be detected.
- J: Similar to I grade.
- K-Z: These stones have noticeable color.
Clarity
This is the least important aspect of the other C’s. Most of the diamonds that are found may have a few tiny imperfections that are also known as inclusions. The fewer imperfections that are visible on the stone, the better the grade of the diamond. It is best to choose a clear diamond in which any inclusions are not visible to the naked eye and do not disrupt the beauty of the diamond in any way.
Carat
This is the most misunderstood C of the diamond. Contrary to common belief, carat refers to the weight of the diamond and not the size. It is essential that you consider both cut and clarity as related entities when buying diamonds as the cut can also have a significant impact on how big the diamond will look. Another great tip while choosing a carat is to purchase diamonds that are just shy of a whole number. These are considerably cheaper to buy, and a size difference of up to 10% is not even noticeable.
Another aspect that you have to consider when buying diamond rings is the shape of the stone. But this is usually based on the choice of the person receiving the diamond. If you are unsure about the shape that the person may want, then your best bet is to choose a round or a princess cut diamond.
