Nothing symbolizes style, wealth, high-status and good fashion sense more than a brand new, sparkling diamond ring. Whether you are looking to purchase an engagement ring for your partner, a “Happy Birthday” ring for your Mother or simply a well-deserved gift for yourself, knowing what to look for in a diamond will make sure that you find the best ring possible for your specific budget.
When choosing a ring, there are four C’s that are used to characterize the quality of a diamond: color, clarity, cut and carat. Knowing what each of these C’s stand for and why they are important is a necessary step to finding the best quality ring at your price point.
Let’s dive into each of the C’s to learn more about what they mean and how they affect your purchasing decision.
Color
As you can probably imagine, the color of a diamond refers to how deeply colored the stone is. Cheaper, lower quality stones will typically have a yellow tint to them. On the other hand, the best quality stones will have less color, thus making them clearer to the eye.
The color of a diamond is classified using a grading system, with Z being the most colorful and D being the least colorful. The closer a ring is to a D classification, the rarer it is and the more expensive it will be.
Cut
The most important factor that determines how good a diamond ring will look is how well the diamond is cut. The stone itself could have a D on the color scale and could be of a very high carat rating, but if the cut is poor, the ring will not dazzle you as much as if it had a good cut.
Work with your jeweler to try and find the best cut available for your budget. The slightest bit of difference to the cut will have a huge impact on the final look of the ring.
Clarity
The clarity of a diamond refers to the amount of natural imperfections that the stone possesses. All diamonds have inclusions, but the ones with a better clarity have fewer. The clarity of a diamond shouldn’t be a huge driving factor when making your decision as most of the imperfections are microscopic and cannot be seen unless looking through a microscope.
Carat
Carat is a term that is used a lot in the jewelry industry, and it’s one that is often misunderstood by consumers. The carat of a diamond simply refers to its overall weight, not its size.
To save yourself a substantial amount of money without compromising on the overall look and feel of the ring, consider stepping down one mark when making your final decision. For example, if you are looking at a 2.0 carat diamond, consider buying a 1.9 carat diamond instead. The drop in carat is barely noticeable, but because the industry has put so much value on the carat grading system, the drop of just 0.1 carats can save you a considerable amount of money.
Make Sure The Diamond is Certified
Every diamond that goes up for sale on the open market has to be verified by an unbiased examiner. The examiner will look closely at the stone, determine its attributes, give it a grade and provide a certificate to show that the stone you are purchasing is exactly as the jeweler says it is.
Don’t Forget To Measure Your Ring Size
Determining your ring size isn’t hard to do. If you are purchasing the ring for someone else, simply borrow a ring that the person wears regularly and take it with you to the jewelers. Alternatively, if you are purchasing the ring for yourself, the jeweler can measure your finger at the store to make sure the fit is as perfect as it can be.
Rounding Things Up
A high-quality diamond ring can have a huge impact on the look of the individual who is wearing it. We can spend hours in the gym working on our bodies and thousands of dollars on the latest and greatest beauty products and fashion trends, but it’s the small, unique accessories that really make the biggest difference in our overall look.
Hopefully, these tips will help you make the perfect decision when you are shopping for a new diamond ring.