HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST DIAMOND RING?

Buying a diamond ring requires much care and attention. You might be planning to have a unique proposal and popping up the question with a charming ring, or maybe you want to get your loved one a luxurious gift, and you might be a smart lady who quite knows how to treat herself. Whatever the case is, there are specific guidelines for buying the perfect ring.

Table of Content:

The best diamond cuts and shapes.
Choosing the perfect diamond ring.
Keeping your diamond ring shiny.

Before you buy a diamond, you should educate yourself about (The 4Cs), which is an international standard or describing diamonds found by GIA (The Gemological Institute of America).

1.The Best Diamond Cuts and Shapes

There are four main factors in the 4Cs global grading system of diamonds, which are: cut, color, clarity, and carat. These factors make every piece unique and different from another. Each factor has a role, but all diamond graders agree that (Cut) is the most critical factor because it is responsible for (2) things that we all search for first in a diamond:

A diamond’s sparkle and brilliance.
A diamond’s shape.

That is why the first decision you should make in your journey of finding the perfect diamond ring is: choosing the cut grade and shape.

What Quality Cut You Should Choose for a Ring?

The GIA grading system categorizes diamond cuts into grades from (poor – excellent). If your diamond is no more than 0.50 ct., a “good” cut will serve you well. But, if you intend to get a larger diamond, you will have to opt for “very good” or “excellent” cuts.

What Diamond Shape You Should Choose?

A variety of diamond shapes are available for you when you are ready to make a purchase; they provide different levels of fire and brilliance. You have to choose according to the suiting characteristics of each shape, and don’t forget to consider hand shapes.

The 7 Most Popular Diamond Shapes

1-Round Shape

Over 75% of the sold diamond rings have rounded shapes, it is the most popular shape of all time, and the most sparkling, too.
It is ideal for all hand shapes and sizes because it won’t affect the appearance of hand proportions, and fingers won’t seem larger.
Round cutting doesn’t waste much of rough diamond; unlike other cuts, this is why round shapes are the most expensive. If you have a high budget, don’t look further, choose a round-shaped ring.

2-Princess Shape

The princess cut is square-shaped. It has a lot of facets that provide unique shinning and sparkle.
Its square shape helps to hide inclusions easily, making it perfect in all carat sizes.
It fits all hand shapes.
It suits the taste of those who love contemporary jewelry.

3-Emerald Cut

The emerald cut is rectangular-shaped. It provides long and continuous flashes of light, unlike the sparkle of round or princess cut diamonds.
Emerald-cut rings have a vintage style, and their popularity is increasing.
Emerald cut diamonds have large facets, which create an effect that looks like a box of mirrors when you look inside.
The emerald cut makes your fingers look thinner and taller. It is perfect for hands with full, short fingers.

4-Marquise Cut

Marquise cuts have a tapered shape.
It has a sophisticated style.
It makes fingers slimmer and taller, suitable for shaping your fingers.
The surface area of a marquise-cut diamond is large and long, making the diamond seem larger than it really is.

5-Oval Cut

Oval cuts have an elongated shape that makes the diamond look larger.
Oval cuts have high levels of sparkle, similar to round cuts, but are a little less popular.
Ideal for all hand shapes.

6-Pear Cut

Pear cuts look like a teardrop. This shape maximizes fire and brilliance.
Pear-cut diamonds have a classy, vintage style.
Ideal for women with short fingers as they elongate them.

7-Cushion Cut

The cushion cut is square-shaped with rounded corners.
It was the most desired cut before the round cut appearance.
Cushion-cut diamonds include inner sparkle and fire.
Suitable for full fingers, as they would seem thinner.

Overall, each diamond of any cut is beautifully unique and extensive. Picking a shape is just a matter of personal preferences. But, if getting a diamond cut that has the most sparkle is your main interest, you would have to consider round-shaped diamonds.

2-Choosing the Perfect Diamond Ring

After selecting the shape you desire to have, the next step would be picking the possible, and the highest quality options of the 4Cs

Select the Carat Weight The choice of carat weight depends on your budget. Are you considering half a carat, one-carat, or a two-carat diamond? Whatever your preference is, you can save a considerable amount of cash by slightly reducing the carat weight. For example, buy a 0.90 ct. stone instead of 1 ct., or 1.90 ct. instead of 2 ct. The tiny size difference can’t be spotted by the naked eye, but it can certainly benefit your bank account.
Choose the Color Grade The GIA grades diamonds colors on a scale that ranges between (D-Z), and grade D is the most colorless grade. As grades move up, the diamonds gain more color. The more colorless your diamond is, the better it will be. But, this doesn’t mean that you have to stick to grades D and E:

Look for G-J color grades of diamonds when you are buying a one under 1 carat. Those diamonds look like a colorless diamond to the naked eye, but they cost much less.
Look for G-H grades, if you want to buy a diamond over 1 carat, as the color becomes more detectable in larger diamonds.
Your diamond will look more colorless than it is when it is placed on a ring. But, the ring’s metal setting also has a role in this. Put your diamond on a platinum or white gold ring if it has a high grade of colorlessness.
If your diamond ‘s color is slightly noticeable, put it on a yellow gold ring, the color of the diamond will mix nicely with the ring’s color.

Set the Diamond’s Clarity Each diamond has internal and external characteristics, resulting from the massive heat and pressure that the diamond was once exposed to deep in the earth. Those characteristics are known as inclusions and blemishes. A diamond’s clarity depends on the number, size, and position of those inclusions and blemishes.

If you have a high budget, and you want a diamond with no remarkable flaws, choose one of the clarity grade of “VVS2” grade or higher. Diamonds of these grades are rare and very expensive.
Buying a diamond of “VS1” and “VS2” grades is a good deal. They look flawless to the eye, but the difference in price compared to a real flawless diamond is vast.
Don’t be overwhelmed if your budget doesn’t allow a clarity grade higher than “SL1”; the slight inclusions of this grade won’t mess your diamond’s appearance.

Comparing Different Options After setting your preferences of all the 4Cs and diamond’s shape and filtering your option, you will still have many similar options that might get you confused. Choosing among diamonds that are similar in the 4Cs aspect doesn’t include a wrong decision. If they all relate to your preferences, then they are all suitable. Relax and choose one out of them according to:

How sparkling the diamond is.
Its perfection to the naked eye.
Its price.

Obtain a Certificate The critical rule in purchasing a diamond is receiving its certificate, and verifying that the diamond’s characteristics match those that are mentioned in the certificate.
Use an Expert Consultation In cases of perplexity, always remember that the safest way to make a good purchase is by asking for the opinion of diamond experts and graders. Experts make sure that you choose the best diamond according to your budget. Pay a little more for a consultation if you can’t make up your mind. You’ll be more comfortable throughout the buying process.

3-Keeping your Diamond Ring Shiny

Diamonds attract grease very easily. A simple touch will transfer oils from your fingers to the surface of the stone; this would affect its sparkle. So, you have to clean your diamonds regularly:

Once a week, soak your ring in a suitable degreasing liquid, it could be clear water with a few drops of dish-washing soap.
After soaking, use a soft toothbrush to scrub the diamond gently and removing any remaining dust in areas such as the lower tip of the diamond.
Dry the ring using a lint-free piece of cloth.
Never soak your diamond ring in a solution that includes chlorine, abrasives, or any kind of bleaches. These materials can harm and scratch the metal setting of your ring.
Some dirt and greases can stick on a diamond over time. It gets hard to remove such stains by degreasing solutions. Ultrasonic cleaners would be crucial in such cases. But you have to do it with caution or let an expert do the job. This process can shake the stone from the ring, or crack the girdles of the diamond.

Diamonds are very precious, not only because they are expensive, but they are also charming, luxurious, and unique. Attention is required from the moment you decide to purchase these valuable stones to the post-purchase phase, as taking care of a diamond will always be essential.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST DIAMOND RING?