Buying Diamonds on a Budget
What if you're on a budget, and want to get a beautiful ring without breaking the bank?
1. Go for cut over size. Large diamonds are much rarer than small ones, so they're disproportionately expensive. Everything else being equal, a 2 carat diamond will cost a lot more than twice the price of a 1 carat diamond. Furthermore, while you might pay a lot more for a larger diamond, the cut of the diamond has the most influence on its sparkle and brilliance. A smaller diamond with an excellent cut might look brighter and more beautiful than a larger, poorly cut diamond.
2. Buy a lower color grade. Diamonds with a color grade of D to F are colorless, and so they command a much higher price because of their rarity. But diamonds in the G to I range are virtually colorless, and can look just as beautiful. The color can also be disguised by careful mounting, or by choosing a diamond with slight blue fluorescence.
3. Buy a diamond with fluorescence. Officially, a diamond with fluorescence is considered to be lower quality. A diamond has fluorescence if it emits light when exposed to ultra violet rays. Strong fluorescence in a very high quality diamond can make it look cloudy in daylight, but fluorescence can also make a slightly colored diamond look whiter and clearer by balancing out the yellow. You could get a diamond that looks just as beautiful as a higher quality diamond without paying extra.
4. Choose a diamond with invisible inclusions. Diamonds with a quality of SI1 or SI2 are eye-clean, meaning they have inclusions which cannot be seen with the naked eye. They can still be very beautiful, but are much more affordable than the higher clarity grades.
5. Buy an antique diamond ring. If you want a very unique and special ring, take a look at antique engagement rings. You might be able to find an excellent antique preset ring for a fraction of the price of a ring purchased from the diamond stores.
Antique Engagement Rings
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