What is the best diamond to buy?

"What is the best diamond to buy?"

That is a loaded question.  Knowing which diamond to buy comes down to her vision and your budget.  Think of it as if you were buying a car, you have to choose the make, model, color, and options...AND, you may have to sacrifice some to get others.  
Finding the perfect diamond is just like finding the perfect car, you have to weigh all your options, sacrifice here to get more there, and in the end make sure you have a diamond she will love at a price you can afford.

Before you begin shopping for ANYTHING, you need to learn some basic information about diamonds, especially the diamond 4cs.  If you are just beginning, you may not even know what questions you should be asking. Therefore, I prepared a simple Q and A to get you started and help you find your perfect diamond.

"What are the 4Cs of Diamonds?"
The 4c's of diamonds were created to have a common language used to describe the characteristics of a diamond.  The 4cs include:
Color
Color describes the presence of color, or lack there of in a diamond.  The less the color, the better the quality.
Cut
Every diamond starts out as a raw stone.  It takes a skilled craftsman, who can facet the stone with ideal proportions to bring out a stone's brilliance.  
Clarity
Clarity describes the purity of the stone and the amount of inclusions, feathers, clouds, polishing errors, etc.
Carat
Carat measures the weight of a stone.  While every stone is different, there is some correlation between the shape of a stone, it's carat weight, and it's dimensions.



"Do I need a diamond with a certificate?" 

Yes, but not just any certificate, make sure you receive a GIA (Gemological Institute of America) Diamond Grading Report.  Why GIA? Not only did they create 4C's of diamonds and the international grading system, but their lab is one of the most respected in the world.  In their lab, GIA gemologists use cutting edge technology and expert knowledge to grade each stone. Their expert opinion is priceless!
"Is there anything other than the 4C's that I should know about?"
When you start reading your diamond certificates, you may see something called 'Florescence.'  This is because some diamonds do have florescence which some people like and others do not like.  Check out our free diamond guide for a more thorough discussion of diamond florescence to decide if its right for her stone. 

"Why do I need to buy the diamond separate from the ring?"

With so many choices in diamonds; shapes, cuts, colors, clarities, and carats, you will have the most amount of ring options if you buy the stone separate from the setting. Then, you can get a diamond she will love, that you can afford, in a setting she will be thrilled to wear, and you will be confident to give her.  Buying the diamond separate from the setting helps keeps your options open so you can customize the ring to your exact specifications.