After doing some initial research on diamond quality and size, many instantly think they want a large stone with the best quality possible. However, seeing the associated costs with purchasing a 3 carat 'D' color 'VS' clarity diamond for instance, will throw many into a price shock. Since few will have the budget to follow through on this, and understandably so, their best option is to seek value and find the best trade-offs of color, clarity and cut to fit their price range. This will help you achieve the largest, best looking diamond to your eye, without breaking the bank. At Lauren B we pride ourselves on providing our clients with the best selection of loose diamonds to fit their budget and see each one either in person or through HD video. Read this post and follow along with this video showing five gorgeous loose diamonds from our personal inventory, that can provide a potential client with great value.
Round Brilliant 2.57 carats 'I' Color/VS1 Clarity: At first many people might scoff at an "I" color and think it will be "too yellow" for their liking. On the contrary, an "I" color, or even "J" in many instances, will appear colorless face-up, especially in a round brilliant cut diamond. If we compared this specific diamond next to a "G" or "H", it would be very difficult for the average eye to notice any discernible difference. Aside from having the obvious crystal clear clarity grade of VS1, this diamond also has an excellent cut and an enormous face up spread coming in at just under 8.9mm. So if you had a 3 carat diamond in the G color/VS clarity range but did not want to exceed $30,000 for your budget, this type of diamond would be perfect. It gives you same face up color appearance and also has similar dimensions to a 3 carat- what a score!
Radiant Cut 2.51 ct 'H' color/VVS2 Clarity: While this stone clearly has an amazing clarity grade of nearly flawless, less noticeable to the casual observer is its impeccable cut. Fancy shape diamonds do not receive an actual cut grade on their certificate, so you have to dig deeper into the numbers and see how it looks in person or via HD video which we provide to our clients. This radiant has ideal depth and table %'s in the mid 60 range, and perfect proportions of 9.2mm x 7.1mm which give it the look of a 3 carat diamond and a length/width ratio of 1.30:1. Also notice there is no bow tie effect- which is an undesirable dark shading that can occur across the center of elongated center-stones like these. This stone would look great in any design you can imagine, from a classic three-stone to one of our more intricate halo engagement ring styles. To see more radiant cut engagement ring videos click here for some great inspiration
Cushion Cut 4.20 ct H color/VVS1 Clarity: Some may say this diamond is unbalances and that the clarity grade is "too high" and would go for a higher color instead. However, when considering diamonds in the 4 carat and up size range, going up two color grades or more will cost you $20,000 or more in many cases. This a cushion brilliant style diamond, where the faceting is much more distinct helping it to reflect larger flashes of sparkle and also allows for less concentration of color in the diamond. For that reason the "H" here looks more like a "G" to the naked eye. Finally, consider this diamond's measurements which come in at a massive 10.45mm long which will make it look larger than many 5 carat diamonds. Taking all those factors into consideration, make this particular cushion cut diamond a hot item for anyone after a huge look and great overall quality. To see more loose cushion cut diamond examples check out our video gallery here
Pear Shape 2.73 ct H color/SI1 Clarity: This diamond weight is what we like to call a "special size" as it fall slightly below a major round number which in this case is 3 carats. There is a large premium to pay for those shiny 3, 4 and 5 carat numbers so finding a diamond that is slightly smaller in weight but has good measurements and more than respectable color/clarity ratings, is the goal for many shoppers. Pear shapes hide inclusions relatively well so the SI1 is nothing to be concerned about as there are no dark inclusions, or hazy overtones, to take away from its beauty. This diamond cut has a naturally large appearance with its graceful length, so "buying shy" is always a great option.
Oval Cut 2.51 ct D color/SI2 Clarity: Here is an example of making a great trade-off of color for clarity. It is very difficult to find SI2 clarity diamonds that are completely eye clean and have no hazy look to it. This diamond is as crisp as any, and features scattered white inclusions throughout making them completely undetectable to the naked eye and even hard to find under a magnifier. What jumps out at your most is the color here, and at "D" it does not getting any better or more colorless. The measurements here are 10.7mm x 7.7mm so you are getting the look of most 2.70 carat+ stones. If you are keen on color and wanted an oval diamond close to the 3 carat mark with a VS clarity grade, you are easily going to spend close to $35,000 and up. This kind of stone will come in much more affordable and offer you the same look so why spend when you do not have to. For loose oval diamond comparisons please watch our video gallery here to better educate yourself.
We hope this sampling of diamonds gives you some great insight into the engagement ring shopping experience. Keep in mind that these rules hold true for any size diamonds so if you were more in the 1 to 1.5 carat range, these ideas will still apply. We always recommend browsing our loose diamond video gallery which features hundreds of loose diamond videos specifically curated for our clients to help them make a purchase. If interested in learning more please contact us at info@laurenbjewelry.com to speak to one of our experienced diamond advisers who can help you choose the perfect stone for your dream engagement ring.
