People often ask me, if I were to buy a Diamond Engagement Ring, what would I buy?
My answer: A Loose, VS Clarity, E-F Color, G.I.A. Certified/Laser Inscribed Diamond.
It has to be Loose! NEVER buy a Solitaire Diamond that isn't Loose. You have to be able to scope the Diamond and you don't want the Mounting to get in the way or hide things (like Flaws or Inclusions)! Always Buy your Diamond Loose!
Quality: VS, E-F is the perfect Diamond. I know it's not really a perfect Diamond, you can go higher up the Clarity and Color Chart, but this is the Diamond I love. Here's Why...
Clarity: VS means Very Slightly Included. VS Clarity (either VS1 or VS2) has very small Inclusions in them. Just a few here and there so that you can identify them under 10x magnification. VS is very impressive, very clean and very nice.
You could buy VVS Clarity or even a Flawless Diamond, but they won't look any better visually if you put them side by side. Even under a scope you'll have a hard time telling the difference between them (VS and higher Clarities). We're talking about Little, Tiny Imperfections. Microscopic Marks, Pin Points, Crystals and Blemishes. They're practically invisible.
VS is the Clarity I would buy hands down.
Color: E-F Color... Love it! Stunning, Beautiful, White and Brilliant. I adore Pure White (Colorless) Diamonds. They have no Color in them whatsoever. Just a Brightness that seems to light up the stone (and your eyes). Love it! Wouldn't ever buy anything else (except a D if I had the chance).
Certification: It would have to be G.I.A. (Gemological Institute of America) Certified and Laser Inscribed. (I like to see the Diamond Report number etched right into the side of the Diamond).
I trust G.I.A. over any other Independent Certification Company out there. It must be G.I.A. and it must be Laser Inscribed!
Other things I would have on my checklist:
Sparkle: It must have lots of Brilliance and Sparkle. Diamonds must have life. Color, Fire, Scintillation... It must Sparkle like crazy!
60/60 Percentages: The Table Percentage should be close to 60% and the Depth of the Diamond should be close to 60% (Close to Ideal Standards - The 60/60 rule of thumb).
Diamond Girdle: Thin-Medium Girdle. (Polished or Faceted, Not Rough). You don't want your Diamond Girdle Chipping or looking Clunky!
Fluorescence: None! Don't like Fluorescence.
Culet: Not a big concern as long as the Diamond Culet is small and not noticeable through the crown.
Polish & Symmetry: I'll look at how the Facets line up under a microscope.
Mounting: I would buy a
Classic Tiffany Style Engagement Ring. Nothing shows a Diamond off better than a Simple, Traditional Mounting.
Metal: White Gold. (Even if it has to be Rhodium Plated!) I like the Brightness, Luster and Price of White Gold. (Versus Platinum, which is 4x the money, and it has a much Deeper, Darker Body Tone than White Gold).
Appraisal: I would make sure to get the Jewelry Appraised for Insurance Purposes.
Service Plan: I would buy a Jewelry Service Plan (E.S.P.) on the Diamond Ring so all the repairs are covered. (Cheap Plan, saves you tons of money in the future!)
Payment Method: I would pay cash for it. Paying cash could probably get me a better deal (No Transaction Fees). Some Jewelers will give you a discount for paying with cash. Money talks! Some Jewelers will even throw in Tax! You never know! It's worth a shot.
Carat Weight:
1.50 Carats! Of course!
So there you go, this is what I Like, what I Love, what I would Buy, if I were to Buy a Diamond!
I'm happy you asked!
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