Last Updated - October 2005
Quick Links: Coupon Savings | Buy A Ring Now! | Gifts For Wedding Party | Diamond Earrings | Loose Diamonds
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Welcome to CE Buys Diamond Buying Guide. If you are looking for tips on buying a diamond, diamond ring, engagement
ring, wedding bands, or gifts for your wedding party (groomsmen, bridemaids, bride, groom), you've come to the right
place. We will teach you the basics and show you tips on how to save money. When you are done reading this guide, you
will be able to safely and confidently buy online from any of the web stores we have carefully reviewed and selected
for you to shop from.
We've tapped the expert knowledge of diamond experts like Renée Newman. Newman is a world-renowned gemologist with
broad experience in pricing and evaluating gemstones and jewelry.
Use this guide while you shop. We provide reviews of an elite group of highly rated and recommended diamond ring buying web sites like Blue
Nile, Mondera, Szul, and Ice. Start off with everything you need to know to buy a diamond engagement or wedding ring or
loose diamonds. Learn about the 6Cs and 2Ts. See our exclusive tip on how to save hundreds or thousands of dollars! Let's
start on your quest for the perfect diamond or diamond ring...
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Getting Started
- Budget - Figure out what you have to spend. A good rule of thumb is: one month's salary.
- Expectations - Understand his/her expectations. Listen to him/her.
- Savvy - Know what any given diamond should cost and what the best qualities are to wear.
- Timetable - Figure out when you want to give it to him/her.
Beyond the 4Cs
You've heard of the 4Cs - Color, Cut, Clarity, and Carat weight. Newman says this is inadequate. She
recommends not overlooking Cut Quality, Treatment Status, and Transparency. Thus, the 5Cs and 2Ts. We at CE Buys
also recommend looking at the Certification (diamond certificate) for online shoppers. For completeness, we call
it the 6Cs and 2Ts!
Expert's Recommendation: Wedding or Engagement Ring
- Color - Anything rated L or less (A to L)
- Cut - Well-cut or ideal-cut (top 1%)
- Clarity - Avoid I2 and I1. Buy SI2 or higher (SI2,FL,IF,VVS1,VVS2,VS1,VS2)
- Carat - Any you can afford
- Cut Quality - Brilliance and sparkle
- Certification - Available (physical or online) and graded by GIA or AGSL
- Treatment - Untreated diamond
- Transparency - Transparent diamond
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Briefly, the 6Cs are explained here.
Color
Most diamonds are graded on a scale using the letters of the alphabet, from D (colorless), the best grade, through Z (a light yellow).
Diamonds that are graded D, E, and F tend to be the most expensive because of their rarity.
Cut
The cut of a diamond (its roundness, its depth and width, the uniformity of the facets) determines how it reflects light, which is responsible for its sparkle or brilliance.
A well-cut diamond is cut by a skilled professional to the best proportions possible so that light will be reflected from
each of its mirrorlike facets and disperse through its top. Too shallow a cut will let light escape through a diamond's
bottom, causing it to appear dull, while too deep a cut will allow light to be lost through a diamond's sides, making it
appear dark.
Feel free to check out Blue Nile Signature Collection -
the world's most brilliant round diamond, as well as the world's first and only princess, emerald, and Asscher diamonds cut to their finest ideal standards.
Clarity
A diamond's most distinguishing characteristics are its inclusions, marks that are often invisible to the naked eye.
A diamond's clarity is determined by the presence or absence of inclusions - fewer inclusions mean better clarity - and
how visible they are. The greater a diamond's clarity, the greater its brilliance and value.
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Clarity
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Description
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FL
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Flawless. No internal or external finish flaws.
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IF
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Internally Flawless. No internal flaws.
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VVS1
VVS2
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Very very slightly included. Very difficult to see inclusions under 10x magnification.
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VS1
VS2
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Very slightly included. Difficult to see inclusions under 10x magnification, typically unable to see inclusions with unaided eye.
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SI1
SI2
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Slightly included. Easy to see inclusions under 10x magnification, may not be able to see inclusions with unaided eye.
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Carat
A diamond's weight is measured in carats, with one carat being equivalent to 100 points. You will often see a diamond referred to as a 3/4-carat stone or a 75-point diamond.
Cut quality
You need to see brilliance across the diamond, no dark areas or white circular areas. There should not be any excess weight.
This is similar to a diamond with a Poor Cut rating. These diamonds are deep and narrow or shallow and wide and tend to lose most of the light out the sides and bottom.
Certification
A diamond certificate represents independent verification that the stone purchased has all the qualities of cut, color, clarity, shape, and weight expected.
The diamond is usually analyzed and graded by either the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or the American Gem Society Laboratories (AGSL).
Additionally, all Blue Nile Signature Collection
diamonds are certified by the Gem Certification & Appraisal Lab(GCAL). This provides you a second authoritative analysis of your diamond.
Learn More
If you're interested in the nitty gritty details of the 4Cs, check out Blue Nile's How To Buy A Diamond or GIA's diamond tutorial.
For more details on the 2Ts, check out Newman's book in our book recommendation section.
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Exclusive Tip - Save More Money
Buy Shy
What is Buying Shy? You shop for diamonds that weigh just under half-carat and full-carat weights. Why?
You save a lot of money. The price of a diamond jumps dramatically when it reaches a true half-carat
or full-carat.
Example:
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1.00 ct
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$5,200
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0.90 ct
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$4,320
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You save $880!
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0.50 ct
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$1,500
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0.49 ct
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$1,275
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You save $225!
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A difference of 1 or 10 points* and you'll be hard-pressed to tell the difference! Look for 0.49s,
0.69s, 1.49s, etc.
*weight of small diamonds is frequently expressed in points, with one point equaling 0.01 carats.
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Quick Links: Coupon Savings | Buy A Ring Now! | Gifts For Wedding Party | Diamond Earrings | Loose Diamonds
Online Diamond Stores
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BizRate.com Scale
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Outstanding
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Good
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Satisfactory
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Poor
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Customer Certified
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There are hundreds of web sites selling diamonds and diamond rings. We have filtered them down to the best 4
based on various factors including BizRate.com and Amazon.com ratings. The BizRate.com Smiley Scale is a simple and
intuitive way to visualize a lot of rigorous research about a store's capabilities, so you, the consumer can, at a
glance tell the good from the not-so-good when comparison shopping. We have only selected those with a 'Good' or higher
rating AND 'Customer Certified' (has a proven track record of dependability and customer satisfaction). Also, the 'Circle of Excellence Award Winners' seal will be displayed if it is part of the 41 stores that
demonstrated outstanding performance in all seven of the following areas: Ease of Finding What You Are Looking For,
On-Time Delivery, Overall Satisfaction, Selection of Products, Customer Support, Product Met Expectations and Repurchase
Intent.
As for Amazon.com, the merchant must be an approved storefront in Amazon.com Jewelry & Watches category and backed
by it's A-to-z Guarantee - the condition of the item you buy and its timely delivery is guaranteed by Amazon.com
with confidence. Additionally, the merchant must have a Feedback Rating of 4.0 (four stars) or higher by buyers like you.
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Merchant
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BizRate
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Amazon.com
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Description
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n/a
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Blue Nile is leading online retailer of high quality diamonds and fine jewelry offering a broad selection of high
quality jewelry at competitive prices. Their web site showcases over 30,000 independently certified diamonds and
more than 1,000 styles of fine jewelry, including rings, wedding bands, earrings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets
and watches.
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Blue Nile merchandise consists of high quality diamonds and fine jewelry, with a particular focus on engagement
diamonds and settings. They offer diamonds with the following characteristics:
- Shape - Round, princess, emerald, oval, heart, pear, radiant, Asscher and marquise.
- Cut - Ranging from "Ideal" for diamond cuts that fall within strict mathematical proportions to "Fair" for diamond cuts that maximize the weight of the original stone at the expense of optimal light reflection.
- Color Grades - Ranging from "D" for no detectable color tone to "J" for nearly undetectable traces of color to the untrained eye.
- Clarity - Ranging from "FL" for flawless clarity to "SI2" for some visible inclusions or flaws.
- Carat Weight - Generally ranging from approximately 0.25 to 10 carats.
Blue Nile offers free FedEx® shipping on every order within the US, a 30-day return policy, and each gift is
delivered in beautifully distinctive blue and silver packaging enclosed with a free gift card. Each diamond also
comes with an AGSL and GCAL grading report.
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Mondera represents the unique combination of modern innovation with over a century of experience in the gem and
jewelry business. As the brainchild of two brothers--Fred and Pascal Mouawad--Mondera continues a family tradition
that began in 1890 when master watchmaker David Mouawad founded the Mouawad company.
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In early 1998, Fred and Pascal Mouawad decided to bring their family tradition of quality and service to a wider
public through the Internet. The Mouawad family is dedicated to education. The world's leading gemological institute in the world is named "The Robert Mouawad Campus."
Mondera offers only timeless classic designs. The jewelry will always be in style, making it ideal for gift giving.
Every loose diamond sold on Mondera is accompanied by a lab report from GIA or AGSL.
Mondera offers free FedEx Air Shipping on all US orders, free upgrade to Priority shipping Worldwide on all Loose
Diamonds & Custom Diamond Jewelry, a 30-day return/exchange policy, free gift card and an attractive and safe gift box.
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Each Ice.com piece in their collection is designed and made with quality and style in mind. ICE.com's founder,
Julie Schwartz and her team of experts have created a collection dedicated to bringing you jewelry that best
expresses you. Whether it's for work or a night on the town, in denim or silk, black-tie or everyday ICE.com has
jewelry for your style. And for that special gift or the perfect engagement ring and wedding band-you must see the
incredible alternatives presented to you by Julie and her team.
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Szul is one of the first online jewelers to offer a remarkably wide selection of diamond, gemstone, and pearl
jewelry. Szul aspires to become the top e-tailer of quality jewelry by building trusting, confident relationships.
Szul strives to bring their customers the highest quality products, values, and services through their easy and
convenient online store.
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Looking for a Diamond Ring?
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Current Engagement Ring Solitaire Offerings:
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Check out our selected websites:
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Need Gifts for Your Wedding Party?
Are You In A Rush?
Looking For Loose Diamonds?
Looking For Diamond Earrings?
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Current Offerings:
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Check out our selected websites:
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18k Gold Princess Cut Diamond Stud Earrings (H-I/SI, 3/4 ct. tw.) | $925 | Platinum Round Diamond Stud Earrings (G-H/VS, 1/2 ct. tw.) | $850 | 18k Gold Round Diamond Stud Earrings (G-H/VS, 1/2 ct. tw.) | $780 | Platinum Round Diamond Stud Earrings (H-I/SI, 1/2 ct. tw.) | $725 | Platinum Round Diamond Stud Earrings (H-I/SI1, 1/2 ct. tw.) | $725 | Platinum Princess Cut Diamond Stud Earrings (G-H/VS, 1/2 ct. tw.) | $720 | Platinum Princess Cut Diamond Stud Earrings (H-I/SI, 1/2 ct. tw.) | $650 | 18k Gold Round Diamond Stud Earrings (H-I/SI, 1/2 ct. tw.) | $600 | 18k Gold Princess Cut Diamond Stud Earrings (H-I/SI, 1/2 ct. tw.) | $575 | Platinum Round Diamond Stud Earrings (G-H/VS, 1/3 ct. tw.) | $415 |
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Blue Nile: Diamond Stud Earrings
Mondera: Earrings and Diamond Studs
Ice.com: Diamond Solitaire Earrings
Szul: Solitaire Diamond Stud Earrings
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Save Even More Money
Merchants always have coupon specials during popular holidays and celebrations.
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Highly Recommended Books
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Of all the how to books in buying diamonds and diamond rings, we have selected only two that are worth purchasing.
Newman's Diamond Ring Buying Guide has become the standard guide for buyers shopping for diamond rings. Renée Newman,
herself, has been recognized frequently as the leading expert on stones and jewelry and her expertise has been used
extensively by national bridal magazines and websites, alike.
Now expanded and updated to reflect new trends in the diamond and jewelry market, the Diamond Ring Buying Guide offers
step-by-step instructions on how to evaluate diamonds and settings. With sections on price comparison, fake stones,
synthetic diamonds, proper gem care, and selection of gold and platinum settings, this guide will provide consumers
with all the information needed to make an educated purchase.
Book and purchasing details...
If you are also interested in other gemstones, Newman's Gem & Jewelry series include:
Ruby, Sapphire & Emerald Buying Guide
Pearl Buying Guide
Gemstone Buying Guide
Gold & Platinum Jewelry Buying Guide
Newly revised and completely updated, How to Buy a Diamond is a simple-to-use insider's guide to buying the right
diamond at the right price. This valuable resource provides the information you need to understand the terms of the
industry, choose a jeweler and get a stone that won't leave you feeling cheated.
Matching your funds with the perfect diamond
Wholesalers' secret pricing guides
The four Cs explained: clarity, color, cut and carat size
Ring styles and settings
Insuring and caring for your diamond
Picking the right jeweler
Jewelers' tricks of the trade
How to Buy a Diamond and its national diamond information line are endorsed by the National Bureau of Fraud Prevention in Washington, D.C.
Book and purchasing details...
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