Buying a diamond for an engagement ring, although exciting, can also be an overwhelming experience. Some people feel that the more research they do, the more they get confused… Here at J.Birnbach, we suggest you think about 3 key questions to confidently purchase a diamond while enjoying each step of the way.
- It’s about the owner before the stone
The first thing you should ask yourself is how the stone will look on the owner’s finger. A 1 ct stone will look bigger on a finger size 4 than on a finger size 8. What shape will the owner prefer? How will the color look on their skin tone? Seeing and comparing stones in person is probably the most important step to start off the process right.
- Prioritize your 4’Cs
It is likely that you are familiar with the 4C’s. Color, clarity, cut and carat weight are the main factors that define the value of a diamond. By prioritizing one, the other factors will fall into their place to fit your budget and give you a manageable range of stones to choose from.
- What are the trade-offs?
This is a question we certainly hear a lot. Although what matters most is how a stone pleases your eye, we do give our customers some key pointers.
- Cut: Go with an EX or VG cut to make sure you’re getting your stone at its best potential, brilliance, fire and scintillation combined.
- Clarity: If you’re going for a bigger stone, you’re probably going to have to downsize on clarity. If you want your stone to look bright and clear to the naked eye (which is how you’ll be looking at it every day) it’s safer to stay above an SI2 clarity grade.
- Carat Weight: There is something special about having a full carat weight stone. Bigger stones are more rare so their prices go up exponentially. Going right below a full or half carat weight can look the same for less.
- Color: We recommend our customers to stay within the colorless to near colorless range or the stone will have a noticeable yellowish tint. To make the stone appear whiter, we recommend using a warmer metal for the mounting such as yellow or rose gold.
Once you’ve given these questions some thought, you’re in a good place to start seeing stones! Enjoy the experience, don’t hesitate to ask any questions to your jeweler and remember that all rules aside, what matters most is how you personally feel about the stone. The one that looks the best to your eye is the one for you!