Pro Tips for Buying a Diamond

Buying a diamond can feel like a daunting task, but what if we told you that it doesn’t have to be? One of our favorite compliments from our customers who have bought engagement rings is, “Wow, that was way easier than I thought it would be.” If you’re reading this, you are probably trying to buy a diamond… and not just any diamond— the right diamond.

Pro tip #1 – Don’t base your decision solely on the 4C’s chart and price.

We realize this tip goes against almost every article that you read and advice you may hear from other stores you visit. So, let me explain. The 4 Cs originated for the sake of internal use within the industry and not necessarily meant to dictate what type of diamond a consumer should buy. When used properly, the 4Cs can identify the rarity and, therefore, the value of the diamond.

Notice, we said “rarity and value”… not beauty.

So, when you put that diamond on her finger, what kind of reaction are you hoping for? “Wow, that looks like a rare diamond! Did you get a good deal?” or a reaction a bit more speechless that ends with “… it’s beautiful!”

Pro tip #2 – You DON’T need to spend a ton of money to get a beautiful diamond.

But, what you do need to do is look at the diamond! Here’s what you’re looking for:

We all want our diamonds to sparkle. There are three components of sparkle that separate the world’s most beautiful diamonds from the carbon posers (diamonds are pure carbon).

•  Brilliance - The bright white, intense flashes of light that scream out of a diamond. Look for crisp flashes that sting your eyeball.
•  Fire - Fire is the colorful light that is produced by the prism effect in a well-cut diamond. In a very well-cut diamond, you will find all seven spectrums of the rainbow. Remember… ROYGBIV.
• Light distribution - To see this, rock the diamond back and forth. Watch the way it reacts to light starting on the left side and traveling evenly across the diamond all the way to the opposite edge. You want edge-to-edge brilliance and fire. Every diamond should exhibit some form of brilliance and fire. Only the best display them intensely on every square millimeter of the diamond’s face. When it comes to a diamond’s beauty, it’s how well that it handles light that impresses the bulk of humanity. It’s only in the absence of dazzling sparkle that the other properties of a diamond come to center stage. When a diamond does not handle light well you may find too much body color (hue of yellow, brown or gray) or you may easily notice inclusions (small crystals within the diamond) that distract from the beauty of the diamond, and disqualify those diamonds.
• Carat weight … or “the size” of the diamond - This comes back to the original question—what do you want your diamond to accomplish? You can buy a big, raw 3 carat, rough diamond just pulled from the earth and say with 100% honesty that it’s a 3 carat diamond! Or, for the same money you can buy that 3 carat diamond after it’s been professionally cut, crafted and engineered to explode with brilliance and fire… now weighing in at 1 carat, post-cut. The first will have enormous physical presence and just about zero light performance. The second will dazzle all the way across the restaurant, because that’s what it was crafted to do. The same story is true with many finished stones. Not all are equal.

That is the long way of saying that bigger may not be better, if you’re sacrificing the quality in order to get there. When she tells you that she wants a big diamond, respond by asking her if she wants a big diamond or if she wants a diamond with big performance. There’s an enormous difference, but she may not know that.

Pro Tip #3 – Buy the diamond that YOU love.

Don’t feel compelled to buy the ring the salesperson is pushing, or the one that seems like it is the best DEAL. Buy the ring that you believe she will love. Buy the ring that you are proud to give her. You can accomplish this, regardless of budget.

At Koser Jewelers, we guide our guests through buying a diamond the same way that we buy diamonds for our store. Our goal is to help you understand what a diamond can do and then help you determine what diamond will do what you want it to do. Look at the diamond. How do YOU score it? Would she love it? Are you proud of it?

Beauty is not a complicated thing…especially when looking at a diamond. Keep it simple and trust what you see.  And, when the time comes, get on one knee.