Few rules of thumb:
It's about her showing off and you proving your worth. It's a contrivance, but still important.
Buy loose diamonds only, crap ones get preinstalled
The clearest diamond with a bad cut has no sparkle
Go for width, not height. Taller = more weight + more cost + more bulk with no extra sparkle. A wide 1.0 carat looks bigger than a skinny 1.2 carat while costing less.
Let her choose the setting, from the same or another shop. But make sure it's 4+ prongs.
Buy from a reputable wholesaler. DI is a good one:
http://www.diamondideals.com
Download and learn the geometry profiles, this is the best predictor of cut
Selected a 10k rock that appraises at tiffannys for double.
It's about her showing off and you proving your worth. It's a contrivance, but still important.
Buy loose diamonds only, crap ones get preinstalled
The clearest diamond with a bad cut has no sparkle
Go for width, not height. Taller = more weight + more cost + more bulk with no extra sparkle. A wide 1.0 carat looks bigger than a skinny 1.2 carat while costing less.
Let her choose the setting, from the same or another shop. But make sure it's 4+ prongs.
Buy from a reputable wholesaler. DI is a good one:
http://www.diamondideals.com
Download and learn the geometry profiles, this is the best predictor of cut
Selected a 10k rock that appraises at tiffannys for double.