choose the one you love most. BUT also go for quality. Bigger isn't always better. I have a substantial sized natural ruby but the quality is on point, and the diamonds are vvs1 and f in color. If my fiance could not afford that it would be better to go smaller than to get a bigger ring of lesser quality. And I only speak based on what people can afford, as everyone's budget is going to be different. What is the quality of the diamonds? For instance my ring...my fiance was smart enough to go to my dad before choosing my ring,
my dad is an amateur gemologist (no really he should be one because every jewelry store he goes to backs down when he starts talking, and then he pulls out his loop and
needless to say they can never b.s him). 4 c's cut, color, clarity, and carat.
#1 is CUT always: the better the diamond is cut the more it will sparkle (and that goes the same for gemstones). what you want to avoid are diamonds cut too deep or too shallow. It's better to have a smaller diamond that is cut right, then a big one that's opaque
. In other words you want the light to bounce through the diamond and return (kinda like when you look at a chandelier and how the light bounces around?)
#2) color Now let's get to color. It's graded A-D (absolutely coloreless). Let me tell you that D color is nearly impossible to find. It's rare. If you're talking a -d you're talking museum quality usually. Then there's E-F which is colorless still high quality (to the point that it will cost an arm and a leg) but it's best to try to stay here (Also G is really good too. GH is near colorless. Best to stay in G/H if you need to get it a little cheaper than the EF (variety). When you start going to I...it's near colorless and that means there is a
tingeto the color. I and J you're going to slightly detect something. K...and onward (man you might as well say it's yellow, and I'm not talking colored diamonds, I'm talking a muddy diamond that's supposed to be clear. Not pretty).
3)clarity; now youre talking I2-I 3 (visible inclusions...meaning imperfections you can see with the eye and this is only for diamonds, colored stones aren't rated like this) and I1, and SI2- SI1, VS2-VS1, VVS2-VVS1 (my pave diamonds fall in vvs1 for instance), FL (you're talking museums. Unless you're the queen of sheba, you're not touching these, or maybe if you're marrying a prince you can swing this one, or someone whose ridiculously loaded...I'm not even talking mini millionaire this dude needs bank).
For clarity just to sum it up quickly you want VS1-onward but if you need value a SI1 should have no visible inclusions (or very little, look and see if you can see anything in the diamond) to the naked eye (without a magnifier).
4)CARAT The last thing on your mind. If you can afford a bigger carat the other list should be on point 1st. Meaning you have to have a great cut, then color, then clarity and once you have that get the carat you want and can afford. If you have to go smaller to get better quality I say go for it. That's my view on it anyways.
The reason I'm breaking this down is I'd rather have quality over quantity anyday. I rated thase things in order for a reason
Can you ladies suggest any questions that we (meaning HE) should ask when looking for a ring?
