n00b here; I''d first like to say that this site/forum has been invaluable since my recent decision to pop the big question! Thanks to all who offer guidance and help.
I''ve found that as I have done more and more research, I have inevitably become more and more concerned with quality over quantity. Since I am trying to stay within a budget (<$5000), I started looking at lower carat diamonds with better overall characteristics. After taking a little time off from the frantic search however, I''ve realized that I may be overshooting my requirements for a diamond. I know that I want an ideal cut, but I''m thinking now that I should sacrifice some of the other qualities in order to achieve the 1 carat mark (what the girlfriend would want
).
My problem is that I know about all the stats and gradings, but I don''t have much real world experience with the differences. I don''t really care about what''s on paper if I won''t be able to actually see the differences on my own. I just want a diamond that is going to look stunning, and my impression is that there isn''t much visual difference between something like an F,VS1 and an H,SI1 to anyone other than an expert.
My question then is: Can I get something like an ideal cut 1 carat H,SI1 diamond that will still be visually stunning, or should I go with a smaller stone with better cut and clarity?
I''ve found that as I have done more and more research, I have inevitably become more and more concerned with quality over quantity. Since I am trying to stay within a budget (<$5000), I started looking at lower carat diamonds with better overall characteristics. After taking a little time off from the frantic search however, I''ve realized that I may be overshooting my requirements for a diamond. I know that I want an ideal cut, but I''m thinking now that I should sacrifice some of the other qualities in order to achieve the 1 carat mark (what the girlfriend would want
My problem is that I know about all the stats and gradings, but I don''t have much real world experience with the differences. I don''t really care about what''s on paper if I won''t be able to actually see the differences on my own. I just want a diamond that is going to look stunning, and my impression is that there isn''t much visual difference between something like an F,VS1 and an H,SI1 to anyone other than an expert.
My question then is: Can I get something like an ideal cut 1 carat H,SI1 diamond that will still be visually stunning, or should I go with a smaller stone with better cut and clarity?