THE THING THAT SUCKS ABOUT LARGE DIAMONDS!

You wouldn’t think a jeweler would tell you the things that suck with buying large diamonds, but it’s something everyone finds out when they start shopping for them.

Things you wouldn’t normally think about, become quite apparent once you venture into the huge sizes (like over 2 carats).

So here, I will not only tell you, but show you the cons to big diamonds, what to look out for, and how to buy them properly so their unique characteristics don’t jump out and scream “Look at me!“

This is what sucks: They’re big!

And by big, I mean, everything is bigger; the inclusions, the color, the cut… When you get into bigger stones, everything is not only easier to see, but it stands out like a sore thumb. They’re very visible.

What would normally be hidden in a 1 carat diamond or smaller, is now there, in plain sight, for all to see and scrutinize.

The biggest difference is clarity!

Clarity, by far, is the #1 thing people spot in large stones. That’s because eye-clean is generally SI1 or higher. But not in large diamonds. When they get big enough to view, SI inclusions become pretty obvious, and you don’t even need a loupe.

Take for example these diamonds below…

All SI1 clarity, but now, because the diamonds are big, so are the imperfections.

See how the inclusions look so much bigger and more noticeable?

Of course, SI2 diamonds, which are borderline diamonds and a clarity beneath SI1 are even more obvious.

But… Even when you go up the clarity grading scale, into VS diamonds, inclusions are still apparent…

Look at this VS2 clarity diamond:

The bigger the diamond, the bigger the flaws.

Color is more apparent too!

Most diamonds have color, a near colorless, or even slight yellow tint to the stone. This is natural and normal. In fact, only 3 grades of diamonds are truly colorless (pure white diamonds), and those are D, E and F.

But the bigger the stone, the more your eye can see color, and the more color is multiplied and enhanced. So a tiny tinge of yellow, can make a large diamond look really yellow.

As the case below, with this J color diamond, which is in the near colorless category, and quite abundant on the market today.

And what’s funny, is that diamond is a VS2. Very nice clarity diamond, and yes, you can still see a white inclusion in the stone around 7:00 (if you think about diamonds as the face of a clock).

Now, combine an average clarity; SI2, along with a more inexpensive color: K, and you can see how visible the imperfections are:

It’s actually pretty interesting. You can really see, and understand color and clarity so much better with bigger stones.

Cut is more noticeable too!

Even the actual cut of the diamond is massive and more visible. The diamond below is 2 carats, VVS1 (one of the best clarity grades you can buy), D color (the absolute best color grade in the world), but the cut is lower. It’s rated “good“… And cut is one area that most people skip when selecting diamonds (and most stores breeze over and don’t mention, but should). They often overlook it as non-significant. But look at how a “good” cut (versus very good, ideal or excellent) plays with how the diamond looks:

If you saw the certificate online, and read that it was 2.01 Carat, VVS1, D, GIA certified… You’d probably buy it sight unseen. And then when it arrived at home, you would be surprised. Especially when you see that it costs: $27,270 (see the actual diamond here).

So you see, when it comes to large diamonds, YOU MUST VIEW THEM! You must see what they look like, because going by the grades does not cut it.

You may end up with a diamond that looks like this:

Large diamonds can be deceiving and fool you into thinking they must be good. Clarity, color, and price are not the real factors here. It’s the visual appearance. That’s the most important criteria when purchasing big stones. You have to see the diamonds, up-close, magnified, and scrutinize the diamond from all angles and sides.

This is why I recommend James Allen.

James Allen is one of the few diamond dealers online, where you can see the real diamond (not a sample photo), view the diamond enlarged, and be able to turn it around to see how it looks, what’s inside of it, and how beautiful the diamond is.

The quality I would buy:

When it comes to big diamonds, you have to step everything up a notch in order to keep the flaws down, so they don’t overpower the dazzle of the stone. This is why I recommend VS2 clarity, D, E, F color, and an Ideal cut, just like these diamonds here:

Granted, those diamonds, as all large diamonds, are quite expensive. Almost shocking in price!

Luckily, there is a better alternative!

Lab-created diamonds, which are identical to earth-grown diamonds, are the real deal. Real diamonds, graded exactly the same way, with the same DNA, chemical composition, durability, and visual appearance… But with one HUGE difference:

PRICE!

Lab-created diamonds are drastically less. Almost mind-blowing.

Comparing an earth-made diamond, with the exact same color, clarity, cut, and carat weight, to a lab-created diamond, is insane:

CARAT, CLARITY, COLOR, CUT, POL, SYM, FLUOR	PRICE	VIEW
2.00 Earth-Made, VS2, F, EX, EX, EX, NONE	$21,000	VIEW
2.00 Lab-Created, VS2, F, EX, EX, EX, NONE	$3,800	VIEW

Are you reading that? $21,000 versus $3,800. WOW! This is why lab-created diamonds are so popular right now. They are over-selling earth-made stones by large. You can get a huge diamond, with a great clarity, excellent color, and the best cut, for a crazy low price.

So if you’re looking for large diamonds, look for better quality, and look at the lab-created diamonds. It’s a win-win!

Cheers! :)