Buying a diamond can seem to be an overwhelming task, especially when you want to get the most bang for your buck. You want to feel knowledgeable and confident when you are browsing the jewelry cases. With a little bit of research and planning, you can walk into a jewelry store and find the best deal on exactly what you want.

There is a lot of information and many different aspects to buying diamond jewelry, so don’t get overwhelmed by the choices. It’s important to know what you want before you walk into the store so you end up with exactly what you want, and not what the salesman wanted you to buy. The first thing to think about before making a purchase is exactly what kind of piece of jewelry you want (ring, necklace, bracelet, etc.) and what style. Do you want something classic and timeless or trendy and bold? Only looking at the style of jewelry you want will save you a lot of time once you actually step into a store. The best way to figure out the style you want is to be observant. If you are buying for someone else, pay attention for a week or two to what kind of jewelry they already wear on a daily basis. This will give you good clues as to whether they are fashion forward or simple and sleek. Another great place to get ideas is the internet. A simple online search will bring up thousands of pictures that can give you some great inspiration.

After you have a good idea about what style jewelry you want, the next step is to set a budget. Once you set a budget, stick to it. You will feel extra good about your purchase if you walk away with exactly what you want at the price you wanted to spend. A budget will also help you in understanding the quality of a diamond you can expect to afford.  When looking at quality in a diamond, you want to look for the “Four C’s” –  cut, clarity, color and carat. Understanding a little bit about each of these characteristics will help you make a confident purchase.

Let’s start with the first “C”, cut. There are a ton of different options when it comes to choosing a cut for your diamond. The first important thing to understand about cut is that it is different than a diamond’s shape. The cut refers specifically to a diamond’s reflective qualities. Different cuts will give diamonds a different level of brilliance or sparkle. There are five different levels of cut for diamonds – Ideal, Premium, Very Good, Good, and Fair/Poor. When it comes to cut, it is really about personal preference. Of course, the better the cut, the more valuable the diamond. However, it is possible to have a modestly cut diamond that is still very high quality.

The next important “C”  to understand about diamonds is clarity. The clarity of a diamond refers to the amount of inclusions or blemishes within the diamond.  Inclusions are internal flaws while blemishes are external or surface flaws. It is very rare to find a perfect diamond with no inclusions, and like cut, there are different levels of clarity. The different grades of clarity for a diamond are F, IF, VVS1 – VVS2, VS1 – VS2, SI1 – SI2, I1 – I2 – I3. A diamond with a grade of F is considered flawless and is very rare. An IF diamond is internally flawless with only some surface flaws and is also very rare. A diamond graded as VVS1 – VVS2 is very very slightly included while a VS1 – VS2 diamond is very slightly included. Diamonds of these grades still look magnificent to the human eye with inclusions being visible only under magnification.  An SI1 – SI2  diamond is considered slightly included with inclusions being easily detected under magnification but not to the human eye. The lowest grade, I1 – I2 – I3 have inclusions visible both under magnification and to the human eye.

Another important characteristic of diamonds is their color. When it comes to color (as part of the “Four C’s) people are usually referring to the color of a white diamond. The more colorless a diamond, the more light it allows through, enhancing its brilliance. Professional jewelers grade a diamonds color on a scale that begins with the letter D, which refers to a completely colorless diamond (very rare) then travels through the alphabet all the way to Z. Diamonds with a color grade of D to F are very rare and very valuable. Diamonds graded from G to I still appear colorless to the naked eye and will still be a brilliant in a piece of jewelry. Diamonds graded J to M will have a slight yellow or brownish color to them, visible to the naked eye.

The final “C”  for buying diamonds is carat. This refers to the actual size of a diamond. One carat is equal to 0.2 grams. When it comes to determining carat, it really depends on your budget. Obviously, the larger the carat, the more expensive the diamond. Now, this is not a flawless system. It is possible to afford a larger diamond if you are willing to sacrifice on some of the other qualities like color and clarity. It all really depends on what you are comfortable with purchasing and what you think will look the best. Buying diamonds is an investment and they will last for generations if cared for properly. So, take your time and hit the stores with knowledge and you will be a confident diamond customer.