Diamond Jewelry: Your Smart Shopping Guide

Diamond jewelry is something beyond just an ornament you wear. The beauty of the diamond speaks to its rarity, authenticity, and competency in the world. When you wear it or give it to your loved ones, it also reflects the love and special bond you have with the person.

That’s why people put their heart and soul into finding that perfect diamond. But to make an informed decision, you will need to be smart about it. And here is a detailed smart shopping guide for diamond jewelry to help you with that.

Understanding the Four Cs

One essential aspect of shopping for diamond jewelry is understanding the 4Cs of the diamond, which determine its quality. The 4 Cs of the diamond stand for Cut, Clarity, Carat, and Color

Here’s what you need to look for with 4C’s of diamond:

Cut

The brilliance, shine and sparkling of the diamond depends upon how well it is cut. It also makes the diamond appear bigger and sharper to the eye.

Cut is quite noticable, as the naked eye can catch any asymmetry, irregularity, or even less detailing in cuts. So, as a smart shopper, you need to ensure the cut quality and precision of the diamond.

Clarity

A diamond's highest level of clarity assures that inclusions are invisible even under a microscope. Conversely, if you look at a stone with a low level of clarity, you will be able to spot inclusions with your naked eye. Make sure you check that before making the purchase.

Carat

Carat is basically a measurement of a diamond’s weight. One carat diamond weighs around 0.2 gms. But remember not to confuse carat weight with the diamond size.

Although the increase in carat weight does impact the size of the diamond, it is not equally co-related. This means a half-carat weight diamond can be smaller than a one-carat diamond.

Color

You need to look for a higher color grade in a diamond, which indicates the stone to be colorless or white. You can easily spot a low-grade diamond; it won’t look white to the naked eye. The finest diamonds, when examined under magnification, emit light yellow, brown, or grey hues. Make sure you check the color of the diamond in the proper lighting and different light settings as well.

Want to learn more about this?

Read more: Decoding the 4C’s of Diamond

Tips For Smart Diamond Shopping

Here are a few tips, strategies, and tricks to remember while you shop for diamonds:

• Diamond Certification:

  Check to see whether the diamond you’re buying is certified by a reputed organization such as GIA, AGS, or IGI. Diamond certification offers a detailed investigative report on the overall quality of the diamond. It also tells you about the third party involved and the authenticity and quality of the diamond.

• Consider Lab Diamonds:

  Before you shop, it is great to have all the options on the table. So, you should choose lab diamonds over traditional ones as they are more affordable, sustainable, ethically sourced, and still natural. The best part is that they look exactly the same as traditional diamonds.

• Buy Off-Carat:

  A smart trick for diamond shopping is to select diamonds that are a bit below the traditional carat weights. So, instead of a 2-carat diamond, go for 1.99 carat. This will save you a significant amount of money, and the difference between the two will be almost indistinguishable.

• No To Fluorescence:

  A Significant portion of diamonds in the market have fluorescence at some level, which means they emit a soft flow when a UV light shines on them. So, if Fluorescence is not a priority for you, you can just go for colorless (D-F) fluorescent diamonds, which are usually around 15% less expensive.

Factors To Consider For Smart Shopping

Choosing the Setting, Style & Metal Type

An essential factor you need to consider while smart shopping for diamonds is the type of setting you’re planning to buy diamonds for, along with the metal.

The setting and the metal choice must be to complement the diamond and achieve the desired overall look that you aimed for.

A key consideration must be your styling preferences as well, where the jewelry you choose must complement your overall outfit, including other jewelry pieces.

For example, you can complement diamond jewelry as your centerpiece with some coordinate jewelry items, such as personalized necklaces with GPS coordinates of a place that has sentimental value to you.

Budgeting & Financing

Setting a realistic budget before you even plan to shop for the diamond will help you narrow down your browsing options to prevent you from being overwhelmed and also streamline this process to be easier and faster.

Also, you won’t be tempted to overspend on a diamond, which might be way above what you can actually spend without impacting your financial stability.

Even though you’re considering a financing option, you still have to check all the details before committing. Take it slow and check monthly payments and whether it is affordable for you.

Decide the Suitable Diamond Shape

One of the deciding factors while shopping for a diamond is to choose the shape. This depends upon various factors, including your budget, preference, and other factors.

You should choose diamond shapes depending on whether the stone is for personal use, gifting, or engagement.

For example, classic round diamonds, also called round brilliants, are popularly known for engagement rings. A princess-cut engagement ring is another great choice.

If you prefer a fancy and modern look, Pear, Heart, Marquise, and Cushion are some great diamond shapes to choose from.

Considering Customization

For more personalized jewelry, you should also consider customization to make the most of your diamond jewelry purchase. After all, jewelry is a personal style statement and an extension of a personality.

So, choosing a set of parameters and factors such as diamond shape, cut, color, metal choice, other gemstones, etc., will make your purchase more meaningful and valuable. For example, customized diamond rings will be a great option if you’re looking to purchase a diamond ring for your partner.

Purchase The Diamond You Seek With Us, At A.Jaffe

While shopping for diamonds, first, it is crucial to focus on the 4Cs’ of the diamond that assure you purchase the best quality diamond available. Remember to have a budget in your mind to narrow your options. Also, choosing a reputed jewelry brand for your purchase makes things way easier. We, at A.JAFFE, offer a high-quality, precision-cut, and versatile range of diamond engagement rings, bands, and much more for you to explore.

Explore Our A.JAFFE Online Store Today!