Diamond Selection Guide

One of the advantages of buying your engagement ring over the internet is that many online jewelers allow you to select your ring setting and center diamond separately. Not only that, the variety and number of diamonds to choose from can range into the tens of thousands.

Which can sometimes get a little overwhelming for the diamond ring shopper. We’ve created this diamond selection guide to help you with the diamond buying process.

This page focuses on selecting the center diamond. If you’re interested in the ring setting check out our “Ring Settings Overview” and our “Gallery of Diamond Engagement Rings“.

Note: For the beginning shopper: The “setting” refers to the ring band, the mounting (which holds the center diamond in place) and any associated smaller side diamonds. The “diamond” refers to the large center diamond that traditionally serves as the focal point of your engagement ring.

Diamond Shape

The first step in choosing your diamond is to have an idea of what shape center diamond you might like. The two most popular shapes are the Round and the Princess. The round is, not surprisingly, a round shaped diamond, while the Princess is a square shaped diamond. There are other shapes as well such as the Cushion, Emerald and Asscher. Carat for carat, the Princess will be less expensive than the Round, as the princess is a more efficient cut that naturally follows the crystalline structure of the diamond.

Diamond Shapes Education Pages

For more information please visit our Diamond Shape Overview pages…

• Diamond Shapes Overview
  Although not one of the “Four C’s”, the shape of the diamond is a very important factor to decide on when selecting your ring.
  • Round Cut
    The round cut diamond exudes more fire and sparkle than any other cut of diamond.
  • Princess Cut
    The Princess cut offers brilliance, fire and scintillation at an affordable price.
  • Emerald Cut
    Emerald cut diamonds are noted for their subtle beauty, and elegance.
  • Cushion Cut
    The Cushion cut possess a look which is both very classic and romantic.

Value and the Four C’s

Getting a good value on the center diamond is all about knowing the Four C’s (Cut, Clarity, Color and Carats).

Cut refers to the diamond’s proportions and is the most important characteristic. Don’t skimp on the cut because that’s where the sparkle comes from! Excellent is best, Very good is ok.

Color is graded from D to Z, and is determined by how much yellow tint the diamond has. D has no yellow tint and is the most expensive, while Z has the most yellow. For the best value for your dollar choose from the range G through I.

Clarity is a measure of how many “flaws” the diamond has. In general, most, if not all, of these flaws cannot be seen by the human eye. Pick from SI1, VS2, or VS1 (or better) to get good value.

Carat represents the weight of the diamond and is the “C” most people have heard about. It also has the greatest impact on price. Prices can jump when a diamond’s weight exceeds one carat, so selecting a diamond just under one carat can save you some money.

Other factors that can influence the diamonds price are symmetry, polish and fluorescence. If possible, look for excellent symmetry and polish and faint or no fluorescence.

One other point, make sure your diamond has a GIA or AGS certificate, otherwise you can’t be sure what you’re buying.

The Four C’s Education Pages

For more information, please visit our Four C’s Overview pages…

• The Four C’s
  The Four C’s: Cut, Color, Clarity and Carats. Don’t go diamond shopping without them!
  • Diamond Cut
    The cut of a diamond is usually considered to be the most important characteristic out of all.
  • Diamond Color
    What color should you look for when shopping for a diamond?
  • Diamond Clarity
    The two types of imperfections you’ll find with a diamond are blemishes and inclusions.
  • Diamond Carats
    The most well-known characteristic of a diamond is its carat, or how much the diamond weighs.
• Diamond Terminology
  A guide to some of the most commonly used Diamond Terminology and their definitions.
• Diamond Anatomy
  Knowing the anatomy of a diamond will help you when you want to purchase your diamond.
• Diamond Guide FAQ
  Frequently asked questions you need to know when purchasing a diamond.