Monday, January 25, 2010

Buying Diamond Rings - How to Save Money When Buying a Large Diamond

There is more to buying a diamond than size alone. And even if not true elsewhere in life, for diamonds at least, bigger does not always mean better! However, it can mean better, it just depends on the other attributes. But larger diamonds are rarer than smaller ones. And as the carat weight increases, so too does the chance of internal flaws. So if you have your heart set on a large carat diamond ring, you need to be especially careful that you do not waste money on a poor diamond.

Whatever diamond you are hoping to buy, you need to consider the Four Cs. These are cut, clarity, color and, of course, carat. You need to bear all four of these characteristics in mind to get the best diamond for your money.

A larger carat diamond may be anything over two carats. As the carat weight increases, so too does the cost, simply because of the scarcity of larger diamonds. However, the larger diamond may not necessarily be the most expensive depending on the clarity, cut and color. A two carat diamond which is close to flawless is a better diamond, and hence likely to be more expensive than a larger three carat diamond which has only a good clarity.

Do not waste money on a diamond with a poor cut. This is especially important when considering larger carat diamonds. A poorer cut can make a diamond look dull even if it has a good clarity with few internal flaws.

You can save money on a larger diamond by shopping around. Although larger, well established jewelry stores can offer a bigger range of large carat diamonds, they also have an image to maintain. You will definitely pay premium prices for the shopping experience and logo on the box! But do not be tempted to go to the other extreme and buy a large diamond from a downtown discount retailer. The flashing 75% sign might be tempting, but the range of diamonds will be more limited and the quality of the diamonds likely to be lower.

Furthermore, assistants at a discount retailer may be untrained and unable to answer your questions. And you are more likely to fall victim to a scam. A diamond ring sold to you as a 3 carat diamond might actually be closer to 2.5 carats.

It is much better to buy diamonds from a reputable online jeweler. Online jewelers can offer an exceptional range of diamond cuts, colors, clarities and of course carat weights. All of these can be fully guaranteed and Diamond Certificates issued as standard. And, unlike local jewelry stores, their low overhead costs mean that online retailers can pass substantial savings on.

This is good to know when you are looking for a large carat weight!

For more information on a wide selection of affordable diamond engagement rings, or if you want to build your own engagement ring, please click here.

© 2010 EHJewels

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_Henderson

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