3 Places To Buy Created Diamonds in the US

Here are some online stores where you can shop for created diamonds

Click image to see where you can buy Created diamonds

For most first time buyers, choosing the perfect engagement ring is a daunting task. Apart from the money part, there's another thing which makes it all the more daunting: you are usually purchasing it for someone else. (yeah, I know I know, some people want to buy the ring together, so I understand, that part may not apply.) Additionally, the specific diamond details can be a little confusing when you first dive in.

First I want to walk you through the process of choosing the diamond for your ring.

If you want to jump straight to the list of where to buy created diamonds click here.

This portion of the guide is dedicated to diamonds.

Everything you need to know about diamonds is found among the four Cs:

cut, color, clarity, and carat.

Cut

Any diamond expert worth his salt will tell you that “cut” is the most important characteristic of a diamond. The quality of a diamond's cut has the greatest influence on a stone's overall beauty. Not to be confused with shape, “cut” determines the way a diamond reflects light. When cut correctly, the light should reflect out the top of the diamond (the table.) In shallow cut diamonds, light leaks out the bottom. In diamonds that are cut too deep, it leaks out the side. Cut ranges from “ideal” and “excellent” down to “fair.”

Color

Diamonds are judged on a color scale ranging from D, which is the point of complete colorlessness, down to Z, which indicates a yellow-brown or grayish tone. Light moves through the diamond and creates the sparkle when it refracts against the mirror like facets on the inside of the diamond. So it makes sense to choose a lower color as this will make the diamond have better light performance. The best compromise between cost and performance is generally considered to lie somewhere around the G color grade of diamond. There isn’t a significant visible difference between F and G, but the price jump is substantial. If your diamond is on the low end of the scale (anything K or lower), you can set it in gold to increase contrast which tends to minimize the appearance of yellowness. However, with the diamonds from online shops I recommend the color is typically less of a concern, as labs can better guard against impurities than the Earth’s crust.

Clarity

Even something as strong and durable as a diamond can come with a few flaws, and the clarity scale measures those flaws. The scale ranges from FL “Flawless” to I3 “Included.” An “inclusion” refers to a blemish that is visible to the naked eye. For an engagement ring, most people try to stick with something between VVS2 and VS1/VS2 “Very Slightly Included.” This is the area in which you can save money. Experts recommend that you buy something in the “Very Slightly Included” range, as there is little difference between the blemishes in these diamonds and the next level up.

Carat

The carat is a unit of weight measurement for diamonds (gems too). Unlike the other three Cs, there isn’t a good trick with this one as the higher the Carat number, the bigger the size of the diamond placed on the engagement ring. Some experts suggest that if you need to skim on one of the other Cs to afford a bigger carat, then you should scan on clarity.

Summary

In summary, the cut is always going to be the most important of the four Cs to consider when purchasing a diamond. For a colorless diamond, buy something from D to G on the color scale – G is considered by many to be the best value. If you can’t afford a clear color, then set the diamond in yellow gold. For clarity, you want “Very Slightly Included” or higher to minimize visual blemishes.

View the list of where to buy created diamonds online here