Is a 0.41 ct D color diamond with IF clarity and excellent cut better than a midrange 1ct?

Question

I am looking at engagement rings for my lady, do you think a 0.41 ct D color diamond with IF clarity and excellent cut is better than say a midrange 1ct? Or should I try to downgrade the quality a little to opt for a bit more size? I want to give her the best ring that I can.

She is a small woman, 5 feet exactly.

Answer 1

One jeweler that we spoke with said that he thinks it is hard to tell the color of a diamond G and above once it is set. Something to consider....

It also depends on the cut of the stone. With step cut stones like an Asscher or an emerald, I think you might need VVS1 or better. For other cuts, like a round brilliant, I think VS2 or better is good.

My FI opted for a 1.03 carat E color, VS2 clarity round brilliant stone.

Why don't you try and get an idea of her expectations in terms of size of stone, shape and cut, metal, etc. Then you will have a better idea of what you should do.

Answer 2

a diamond doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful. and microscopic imperfections can save you A LOT of money. my opinion is, if your eye can't see the flaw, who cares! go the middle route and get her the best size/quality you can within your budget. if your setting is white gold or platinum, make sure you get good color. if you setting is yellow gold, its very forgiving on a lower color. also, the shape affects things too; princess cut generally holds most of its weight under it... so it may look smaller than what you paid for. marquise and tear drop offer the most bang for you buck size wise and they elongate short fingers; although its not a very popular cut at this time. radiant and cushion cuts are also very beautiful, but not very common so you might not have a great selection. and then of course there are rounds. keep in mind her tastes while making your selection.

just some things to keep in mind! good luck!

Answer 3

It depends on her taste.  For some women, size matters.  Some would feel happy knowing it's "perfect".  Some women think it is the sparkle that is most important (clarity and cut affect sparkle).

Regarding the D color, it is a gemological fact that it is impossible, even for experts, to tell the difference between a D color and a G color once the diamond is set in a ring (the color of the metal slightly affects the diamond's color appearance).  The IF clarity and the perfect cut mean more than color in terms of how the diamond looks -they will affect the sparkle, but even then, you probably can't tell the difference between this level and a grade down.

The only reason to buy a "perfect" diamond is for investment reasons.  And a .41 carat diamond is really too odd a size for an investment. (should be .5 or 1 carat).

Buying a high-middle grade diamond is not "settling" for less.  It's just not paying extra for things you can't see.

Answer 4

I would go with a mid-way point.

I personally don't need a flawless diamond, but I don't need a huge diamond that looks horrible either...

Go for the "almosts" : VVS_ clarity (1, 2 or ithink they even make 3),

'almost' carat- .75 and up ( mine's .86, and huge/beautiful)

D, E and F color are all considered colorless, and going down one could save you a lot (mine's an E)