Diamond Price 4Cs Secrets: Shhh...Don't Tell!

The diamond on the left is $13,150. The one on the right is priced at $4,560. Same size. Same sparkle. They’re both natural diamonds. Want to know how I did it? We’ll let you in on the 4Cs secrets below…

Here’s the truth: You don’t need a flawless diamond. And you don’t need a colorless diamond. In fact, you can use each of a diamond’s 4Cs (color, cut, clarity, and carat weight) to save a significant amount of money. All you need to know are the little tips and tricks jewelers use to get the best diamond price.

Want to join our inner circle? Here are my jeweler’s secrets for maximizing value when buying a diamond:

Diamond Price Secret No. 1: Color

Choose G or H color instead of colorless. The color of a diamond is the whiteness or color tint of the stone. It is one of its “4Cs” – the way a diamond is graded. The diamond grading color scale goes from D to Z. The more “colorless” a diamond is, the closer to D on that scale it will be. Likewise, the more color a diamond shows (in natural diamonds they lean towards champagne, in lab diamonds they can appear champagne or even blue), the closer to Z it will be.

• D, E, F diamonds are “colorless,” like water.
• G, H, I, J diamonds are “near colorless,” and can show a little color but mostly appear “white.”
• K through Z diamonds show a lot of color (typically yellow or brown).

In most circumstances, the best value in diamond color is G or H. This is because they are “white,” without commanding the pricing premiums of a “colorless” stone. In fact, G color is only one step down from colorless, and shows no visual difference. So, to get the best diamond price on a great looking stone, choosing G or H is your best bet. Click here to learn more about diamond grading for color, and also how diamond shape and ring choice may affect what color diamond you want!

Diamond Price Secret No. 2: Clarity

Choose an eye clean VS2-SI1 instead of VVS+ (you can’t tell the difference without a microscope). Another major 4C diamond grade is the clarity of your stone. This is how “crystal clear” the diamond is on the clarity ratings chart. Diamonds have small marks (called “inclusions”) on the inside of the stone. They are like birthmarks! The diamond grading clarity scale goes from FL (flawless) to I3 (included). So, the fewer inclusions a stone has, the more “flawless” it is.

• FL (flawless) and IF (internally flawless) diamonds have no inclusions.
• VVS1 and VVS2 diamonds have “very very small” inclusions which are quite hard to see even with a microscope.
• VS1 and VS2 diamonds have “very small” (get it? VS?) which are visible under a microscope a little more easily.
• SI1 and SI2 diamonds have “small” inclusions which can be easily seen with a microscope, but typically not with your naked eye.
• I1, I2, and I3 diamonds have eye-visible inclusions which detract from the beauty of the stone.

In most circumstances, the best values in diamond clarity are VS2 and SI1. VS2 and SI1 clarity diamonds are typically “eye clean.” So, the inclusions cannot be seen with the naked eye, but are better priced than more flawless diamonds. Click here to learn more about diamond grading for clarity, and also how diamond shape affects the best clarity choice for your ring.

Diamond Price Secret No. 3: Carat Weight

Choose a “light” carat weight – they are priced better without any difference in size. Carat weight is the third of the 4Cs and means how heavy a diamond is. As a result, carat weight does not always equal face up size. It only relates to weight. One “carat” is equal to 200 milligrams. Carat is abbreviated “ct.” Like pennies in a dollar, there are 100 “points” in a carat. The diamond grading scale for carat weight uses both carats and points. A carat weight of 1.56ct is pronounced “one point fifty six carats.”

Listen in! Your diamond’s measurements will depend on how deep or shallow it is cut. For example, a 1.00ct round brilliant diamond could be 6.2mm, 6.5mm, or 6.7mm in diameter.

Merchants in the diamond industry price diamonds “per carat,” kind of like how meat and cheese are priced “per pound” at the deli counter. However, instead of the “per pound” price staying the same, per carat pricing increases at each and every size category. But, you can use this to your advantage!

So, you get the best diamond price by choosing a carat weight that falls just below major size categories. That is to say, a 0.98ct may be better priced than a 1.01ct, despite being the same measurements. This is because the 0.98ct may be priced at “below a full carat” pricing, whereas the 1.01ct is priced as a full carat. Diamond experts call these diamonds which weigh “just below” a major size category “lights.”

For example:

• 0.45ct-0.49ct (light half carat)
• 0.90ct-0.99ct (light carat)
• 1.20ct-1.24ct (light carat and a quarter)
• 1.40ct-1.49ct (light carat and a half)

I always look for great deals in light carat weight diamonds!

Diamond Price Secret No. 4: Cut

Always choose Excellent cut – you waste money on wasted sparkle. A diamond’s cut is both its shape (round, princess, heart), as well as how well the angles of the diamond reflect light. Many diamond experts believe Cut is the most important of the 4Cs in choosing a diamond. This is because cut determines how sparkly your diamond is! The GIA diamond grading scale for cut begins at Excellent and ends at Poor:

• Excellent – maximum amount of sparkle
• Very Good – above average sparkle
• Good – average sparkle
• Fair – lifeless sparkle
• Poor – not much sparkle at all

The best value in diamond cut is Excellent, because you do not want to waste money on a diamond that does not give the best sparkle!

Gemologists call the little flat cuts on a diamond “facets.” Light reflects off facets because diamonds are crystals (just like those prisms you saw at the science museum when you were a child). Excellent cut diamonds are stones in which the facets are arranged in the best pattern, and at the best angles, to maximize light return and sparkle.

Getting the best diamond price

So now you know the 4Cs of color, cut, clarity, and carat weight. But what is it going to cost you? And where does that money go? Diamonds are priced based upon rarity. The higher up on each of the quality scales you go, the rarer the diamond is, and the more expensive. So, finding the sweet spot on each scale – where you can’t see the difference with your naked eye – is the best way to save money.

To wrap things up, let’s recap the sweet spots so you can see how I saved so much with those diamonds at the top of the post. Because saving money without sacrificing quality is the best.

• Color: G is the best value in diamond color because it’s super white and less expensive than colorless stones.
• Clarity: VS2 and SI1 are the best values in clarity because they’re typically eye clean without the price of being flawless.
• Carat Weight: “Light” carat weight stones can be a great deal because they can have lower “per carat” pricing.
• Cut: Excellent cut stones are the best bang for your buck, because they sparkle the most.

Here they are again:

LEFT: 1.00ct, D/IF, 6.43 x 6.46, $13,154 | RIGHT: 0.96ct, G/SI1, 6.39 x 6.42, $4,560

A bright white G color, eye-clean SI1 clarity, light carat 0.96ct is literally a third of the price of the colorless, flawless, full carat stone without any visual difference! Both of these stones are Excellent cut – so they will both be blindingly brilliant. Which do you think is the better deal?

Bonus Secret: Natural vs Lab Created

Lab created diamonds are visually identical to natural diamonds – one is just made in a lab! The technological advancements in lab created diamonds are truly remarkable. Lab stones are now created to exacting standards and can be colorless, flawless, and come in incredible sizes (however, you now know to look at G/VS)! And even more amazing – they are a fraction of the cost of natural stones. Imagine saving another fifty percent on the values you’ve just learned to maximize!

Saving Money Online & Jewelry Profits

Where do the profits go from your diamond purchase? If you’re reading this, you’re one of the growing majority of savvy shoppers who see that buying a diamond online instead of in-store can result in significant savings. So you’re already ahead of the game. But which online diamond seller to choose?

At Do Amore –  when you choose a diamond, you help build a well for a community in need. Without any cost passed to you. Compare us and see! Where else can buying a diamond make such an impact?! Learn more about our commitment to delivering clean water to developing countries here.

That’s a lot to remember. Want some help?

I’m happy to! It is a ton to remember. But we’ll help you through it. Our gemologist (me!) hand-selects great diamonds everyday! Feel free to email me with questions (my name is Corinne), a picture, or even a dream and a budget, and I’ll find you the perfect engagement ring.