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What to Consider For the Perfect Diamond Shape On Her Finger

What to Consider For the Perfect Diamond Shape On Her Finger

When you get to that point in a relationship where an engagement ring is on the horizon, it can be a daunting task for anyone to select the right ring.  Most women are very particular about one crucial element with their dream engagement ring: the shape of her diamond.  Did you know that different cuts of diamonds compliment her hand depending on its shape?

When selecting a diamond, there are ten basic shapes: Asscher, Cushion, Emerald, Heart, Marquise, Oval, Pear, Princess, Radiant, and Round. Your challenge lies in determining which is the right one for your future bride.

Ultimately, the decision is up to you despite the tips you’ve overheard from your bride-to-be’s girlfriends about her ring shape preferences.  If the two of you are unsure what to select, why not consider the shape that compliments her hand the best? 

Specific diamond cuts look best on certain hand sizes. It’s very similar to matching the best outfit for your body type.  Take a close look at your future fiancé’s hand before you start diamond hunting.  Then take these steps to consider your options.

For a Short Hand Shape

If her palms are more square-shaped with shorter fingers, lean towards a smaller sized diamond.  Everything appears delightfully proportioned when a smaller-sized gem is placed on a tiny hand.

Short-hand shapes allow smaller-sized diamonds to look bigger than if she had a handshape that was longer, wider or thinner.  Bulkier cuts would also be another direction to avoid for her little finger.

Since carat size will be on the smaller side, this allows you to have an extra budget room to focus on the color and clarity of the diamond.  These two aspects of a diamond will give the “ooh and ahh” spellbinding sparkle that will make her friends jealous.

The Diamond Spot Considers These Cuts: Asscher, Marquise, Oval, Pear, Princess, Small Round.

Try to Avoid these Shapes: Emerald, Heart, Large Round.

For Long Hand Shapes

There are plenty of options if your bride’s hand consists of rectangular palms and long fingers because this shape accommodates a wide range of diamond shapes.  The popular choices typically round and princess cuts, but the emerald might be the right route to go if she’s less traditional.

Asymmetrical-set oval cut diamonds are an option since long fingers allow you to explore off the beaten track options.

The Diamond Spot Considers These Cuts: Asscher, Cushion, Emerald, Oval, Princess, and Round.

Try to Avoid these Shapes: Marquise, Pear, and Radiant.

For Wide Hand Shapes

Full fingers with a broader palm allow a woman to have room for a stouter diamond.

Avoid delicate shapes that will appear too frail for her steady hand.  To slenderize her finger, consider finding a cut that allows for minimal skin to show.

With her hand shape, she can pull off a larger carat size than the typical engagement ring.  One option could include something bold like a rock cluster. Ladies with full fingers have more room to play with, which can be fun.

The Diamond Spot Considers These Cuts:  Horizontal Marquise, Oval, Pear, Princess, Radiant, and Round Diamond with a Cluster.

Avoid these Cuts: Emerald and Traditional Marquise.

For Thin Hand Shapes 

When a woman has an oval palm with slender fingers, trying to determine which ring flatters her more is like which outfit looks best on a supermodel.  You are lucky that pretty much every shape works!  Your focus should be more on her sense of style and fashion preferences.  If her style is more classic, lean towards more a round or princess cut.  On the other hand, if she’s got more an edge to her, why not explore an emerald cut?

Just a heads up, many people make the typical mistake by purchasing more carats than necessary for a slender finger.  Think about proportion.  You would not want to give her early-onset arthritis.

The Diamond Spot Considers These Cuts:  Cushion, Emerald, Oval, Pear, Princess, and Round.

Try to Avoid these Shapes: Heart and Radiant.

Remember the diamond given with love is ultimately the most flattering to her finger. With you putting your heart and soul into the selection, there is no doubt she will proudly show off to all of her friends and family the diamond you picked just for her.

Visit or schedule an appointment at the Diamond Spot and let one of our Diamond Specialists will walk you through the differences in all of these unique diamond shapes.  Seeing the difference in person is vital in determining the precise diamond that is perfect for you. 

Spotlight & Definition on Diamond Color

The Diamond Spot’s Spotlight on Diamond Color

One characteristic that is vital to selecting the perfect diamond is color.  In fact, for most consumers, it is a common misconception that higher color graded diamonds display a more intense sparkle and brilliance.

The Diamond Spot will help explain to you the keys to a diamond color.

What is Diamond Color?

When it comes to grading color, the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) has devised a system of diamond coloring.  The normal range is from D (colorless) to Z (light brown or yellow).  The fancy color grading system begins when the intensity of the color in a diamond is stronger than a Z.

Diamonds are found throughout nature in almost every color and hue; grey, white, yellow, red, green, pink, and brown.  Despite common perception, it is scarce to find a truly colorless diamond. 

Why does it Matter How a Diamond Color is Graded?

Regardless of whether or not the GIA grades a diamond, almost everyone sold in the market today is rated using the standardized color scale.

A trained gemologist begins the grading process when they flip the loose stone over and begin to compare them with a known set of master stones. When a diamond is viewed from face down, the one aspect most apparent will be the color differences.

By viewing the diamond this way, it reduces Distractions, which are the result of internal and surface reflecting facets.  The process occurs in a controlled environment with neutral lighting to make sure accurate and consistent grading takes place.

A diamond is mounted face up in a setting in real life.  To the untrained eye, it would be complicated to recognize the subtle differences in color.

How does the Color Scale Chart Determine Diamond Color?

The GIA Diamond Chart and Color Grades consist of five main categories that range from colorless to slightly tinted.  The scarcest and “whitest” grade that money can buy are D color diamonds.

The color tint on a diamond will start to become more noticeable the further down the color scale you go.  When shopping for a diamond, The Diamond Spot will help highlight some of the more popular color grades on the market.

D, E, and F Diamonds – These diamonds are in the colorless range and will appear cool, icy white.  They command a higher premium price for these diamonds due to the rarity in nature. If money is no object, then these are the diamonds to get your hands on.

G, H, I, and J Diamonds – These diamonds are in the near-colorless range.  In the face-up view, they possess color tints that are very hard to differentiate.  If the diamonds are well-cut, the G and H colors will look white to most untrained eyes.

K, L, and M Diamonds – When looking for the best bang for your buck, these are the best color grades due to the balance of a tinge of color and affordability.  You should avoid diamonds beyond the color grade of K if you are color adverse.

It is incredible that yellowish color in a diamond is due to the presence of nitrogen in its chemical composition.  To cause the stone to appear as a K color is one-part nitrogen in a million.

Visit or schedule an appointment at The Diamond Spot and let one of our Diamond Specialists will walk you through the differences in a Diamond Color.  Seeing the difference in person is vital in determining the precise diamond that is perfect for you. 

Insight into the Carat of a Diamond

The Diamond Spot’s Insight into the Carat of a Diamond

Before even stepping foot into The Diamond Spot’s showroom, customers typically think that when it comes to buying an engagement ring that carat weight is viewed as the essential aspect when selecting a diamond.

Does a diamond with a more significant carat weight always appear larger?  When you hear people saying this is a 1-carat diamond, what does it mean?

The technical answer is that one carat is equal to 200 milligrams or 100 points.  What that means is if you bought a 1 carat stone, you purchased 0.2 grams of a diamond.

There is a misconception by many people that a diamond will always appear larger with bigger carat weight.  The truth is far from that depending on the other three C’s in diamond selection (Cut, Clarity, and Color).

Why Carat Weight is Perceived as the Most Important Factor?

 What’s the first question that pops in your head when you think about a new diamond purchase? Everyone has experienced this scenario when purchasing a diamond.

Instantly what comes to mind are questions involving carat size and weight.  That’s because it has a direct correspondence with the value of that diamond.

Additionally, carat size is an indication of a person’s status or wealth in many societies.  Also, the mass media, along with advertising campaigns, have conditioned us into the belief that “bigger is always better.” This marketing ploy mentally etched in the minds of most people with every cliché movie line like “You would have gotten the bigger diamond if you loved me.”

One Important Thing Everyone Needs to Know About Carat Size

Jewelers know that diamonds sell for much more once they pass a specific size.  A majority of diamonds in the market are cut to retain as much rough weight as possible.  Despite the expense of brilliance and beauty.

Regularly you see stones that are 0.48 or 0.98 carats, and that is by design.  Because they fall below the “magic sizes” that can fetch more money, these stones are rare oddities.

Typically, the bulk of stones are cut into round figures of 0.50 or 1.00 carats.  Sadly, this is at the expense of cut quality.  The ability to keep as much rough as possible is the goal of the cutters.

Knowing all of this, you should not get carried away with selecting the “biggest” stone you can find.  For a majority of first-time buyers, this is the most common mistake.  Instead, it would be best if you considered factors like cut, color, and clarity in addition to carat size when properly selecting the right diamond for you. 

For more in-depth information about color, cut, and diamond shape according to her hand size, visit the other informative Diamond Spot blogs.

Visit or schedule an appointment at The Diamond Spot and let one of our Diamond Specialists walk you through the differences in diamond carats.  We think seeing the difference in person is vital in determining the precise diamond that is perfect for you.