Is
bigger always better? It’s definitely a yes if it comes to a bigger desk at
work, a bigger car, a bigger fridge, or even, a bigger house. Would this apply
to the world’s most concentrate form of wealth – diamonds? When choosing a
diamond for engagement rings, one of the most usual problems that guys
encounter is - whether to go for a bigger diamond with lower colour and clarity
within budget, or a smaller diamonds with the highest clarity grade, colour,
etc. Or if you are simply deciding on a diamond to invest for good short term
or long term gain, should we aim for size of quality? Let me give you an expert’s
diamond choosing advice – Neither.
Let
me boldly ask you this question. Now that you have decided to propose to this
one in a million woman whom you are madly in love with, was it because of one
sole reason? Or was it a combination of reasons? Admit it or not, you must have done a
preliminary assessment of her and the quality of time you spent with her before
deciding to commit to a serious relationship. You considered her looks, her
body shape, her personality, her values, her philosophy as well as the fun you
both had together, the ups and downs you had been through and finally, what
future holds for you two. This is no difference when it comes to choosing a
diamond. I advise you to choose a well-balanced
diamond that possesses all the qualities of the woman you chose. Let me
explain.
1. Do
not choose a diamond just by its weight or just by its colour. Maintain a balance amongst all the grading
factors - what is commonly known as the 4Cs and other important grading
factors such as fluorescence, proportions, certification, colour tinge, etc..
2. Choose a diamond with colour that complements your girlfriend’s skin tone. We recommend D to F
colour for fairer skin, G to H for medium tone, and I to J for tanned skin.
Should you go for a K colour? From experience, many girls do not favour K
colour, so choose with caution;
3. Value good clarity. Your diamond does not necessary have to be a VVS, but
a nice VS1, VS2, clean SI1 and SI2 that looks like a VS2 would get your
investment far and wide – for hints on how to identify a good SI1 and SI2, stay
tuned for future posts or consult one of our gemologists at Bee’s Diamonds;
4. Discard
diamonds with
black inclusions. A majority of
natural diamonds have natural inclusions, but more often black inclusions than
the preferable white inclusions. This will not be written on the GIA
certificate for you. Do look at each diamond option under magnification
carefully. Ask your jeweller as any honest jeweller should disclose everything
about a diamond for you to consider;
5. A diamond with very good cut and above. Triple
excellence is not always necessary, but try to keep at least a double
excellence by cut, polish and symmetry to ensure a substantial resell value in
the future. Pay attention to the proportions and the figures in percentage. We
will further explore this topic in future posts, but for now, keep these
figures in mind: Table – preferably 56 to 60%, total depth: not >= 62.9% and
crown angle: 32.5 to 36, preferably 34.5;
6. A
diamond with preferably no fluorescence.
Under the grading item of fluorescence in a diamond’s certificate report,
discard those that indicate strong blue, medium blue, or faint fluorescence, choose
only those that says “None”. Although diamonds that possess fluorescence effect
due to its natural boron content will render the diamond cheaper and also
looking a little whiter than its original colour, if the diamond you are
choosing is for engagement purpose, I suggest that you choose one with nil
fluorescence unless your girlfriend is well informed of the fluorescence. Most
girls, from our experience, do not wish for their diamond to have any form of
impurity, including fluorescence. However, if you are choosing a fancy yellow coloured diamond, fluorescence is also
preferred as it will make the yellow saturation looks even more intense.
7. Consider all the grading
characteristics
written on its GIA certificate and those that are not written on the
certificate, and this include colour tinge, which may indicate whether the
source of diamond is legitimate or not.
In
sum, do not go for a super large diamond and compromise on its quality, but do
not choose a really small diamond with supreme quality so to fit into the
budget. If you really want a strict recommendation without wasting much time
understanding and learning about diamonds, here will be our fast recommendation
if you are a 20-something years old guy looking to buy a decent engagement ring
for your girlfriend:
-
An
adequate, well balanced diamond with preferably:
o Carat: At least 1 carat
o Colour: E to H colour
o Clarity: VVS2 to nice SI2
o Cut: At least double excellence
o Note: No fluorescence, no colour tinge, GIA certificate
o Budget: 2 to 6 months of your monthly salary
Having
said that, we still recommend you to visit your jeweller and learn about the
different options. Choosing a diamond is not only an art, but also an
investment for your new family. After all, it is your first family asset. It
should be one with quality and taste, so that your children and grandchildren
would have something nice to keep as the family’s treasure in years to come.
You would not want your grandchild to bring your engagement ring for appraisal
and only found out that the diamond is solely “big-looking” and lacks all the
quality that an eternal diamond should possess.
