Diamond color is important: Most diamonds used in engagement rings are near-colorless with hints of yellow or brown. All things being equal, the more colorless a diamond is, the rarer it is, and this rarity will be reflected in its price.
The most popular engagement ring metals are yellow gold, white gold, rose gold, platinum, and sterling silver.
In terms of clarity, the most popular range for a diamond engagement ring is the VS1-VS2 diamond. Color is also a factor to consider when thinking about clarity. For example, it will be much easier to spot imperfections in a very clear white diamond than in a yellow diamond.
Which gold colours are the most commonly used for engagement rings? Yellow, white and pink gold are most commonly used for jewelry, and for engagement rings in particular. This is why we, at My Diamond Ring, offer all three colors in 18k gold.
Near colorless diamonds, (G-H-I-J grades) offer the best value if you want to make the most of your budget. You can save money in color and spend more on an excellent cut which in turn gives more brilliance. G and H color grades come just after the colorless range, so they still appear colorless when viewed face up.
The highest color grade for a diamond is “D”. “D” color diamonds are very rare and not commonly found in traditional jewelry. Most diamonds used in jewelry have a slight presence of color. It is possible for diamonds to have a very high concentration of desirable color.
Red Diamonds
Still, their rarity and their intense, crimson color make them the most expensive per carat of all the colored diamonds, and on average will cost over $1 million per carat. The largest red diamond ever sold, weighing 5.11 carats, was bought for $8 million, at $1.6 million per carat.
Diamond color is important: Most diamonds used in engagement rings are near-colorless with hints of yellow or brown. All things being equal, the more colorless a diamond is, the rarer it is, and this rarity will be reflected in its price.
Most couples search for G, H, I, and J grade diamonds, which are near colorless. Shah continues, "This provides a good balance of budget and visually beautiful diamonds. While color can be slightly visible with a J color diamond, some couples opt for it as it allows them to maximize on other factors like size and cut."
1. Solitaire Engagement Rings. By far the most popular engagement ring style is the classic and elegant solitaire, notably the round diamond solitaire ring. As the name 'solitaire' would suggest, this ring type features a single diamond held above the band.
Market research shows that the average size of an engagement ring center in the U.S. is around that of a 1 carat diamond, and between 0.5-1.00 carat in other countries. It's interesting to note that the average size varies within the same country.
That being said, and as big and bold as it may be, a 2-carat diamond ring shouldn't feel too large or bulky on your finger, especially if you opt for a diamond cut that is a bit shallower and is placed in a setting that doesn't protrude too high off the band itself.
According to a study done by The Knot in 2021, the average engagement ring diamond was 1.5 carats. 50% of those who participated in the study purchased rings between 1 and 2 carats. Only 25% of rings were over 2 carats. In this study, they found that diamond size was not as important as the cut and shape of the stone.
Not only is a round diamond the most expensive diamond cut to manufacture, but it's also the most in-demand stone shape for diamond engagement rings and many diamond jewelry styles. In fact, nearly 75% of all diamonds sold worldwide are round brilliant cuts.
Round brilliant cut diamonds are easily the most expensive diamond shape. In part, that's because round is the most popular diamond shape. More than half of all the diamonds sold today are round diamonds. This incredible popularity means that diamond miners and retailers can charge more for such an in-demand shape.
If you are shopping for a radiant diamond, prioritize color over clarity. Look for a radiant diamond with at least an H grade on the color scale if you want your diamond to appear colorless. Clarity is not as important as color when it comes to pear-shaped diamonds.
According to that GIA standard, the "best" diamond color is D. (Read more about D color diamonds here.) D color diamonds are the equivalent of IF or FL grade diamonds on the clarity scale — they're very rare, and their price definitely reflects that.
I color diamonds are the third grade of “near colorless” diamonds, the color grades G - J. Near colorless diamonds like I color are the most popular choice for engagement ring jewelry since they balance both beauty and affordability (relatively speaking of course).
THE MILLENNIUM STAR
It is the second largest faceted D-Flawless diamond in the world; the 273.15 carat Centenary Diamond is the first. The Millennium Star is arguably the most beautiful diamond in the world, and one which experts have declared priceless.
1. ROUND BRILLIANT DIAMOND. By far the most popular cut is the Round Brilliant, with it's fifty-seven perfectly aligned facets it's brilliance really does out-shine the others. Total internal reflection is the key here; light travels through the stone giving optimum sparkle and scintillation.
1.00 Carat
Because it's the most popular weight, diamonds experience a price jump at 1.00 ct. The price jump is especially high for round diamonds, and, at this weight, you'll get the most savings by choosing a fancy shape. With a budget of $4,500, you can find a great one-carat diamond.
Tiffany only accepts engagement diamonds in the “colorless” and “near colorless” range on a diamond color scale. For engagement diamonds, Tiffany only accepts D, E, F, G, H and I color diamonds. Fancy color diamonds such as yellow or pink diamonds have their own color grades.
D, E and F color diamonds are considered colorless. Meaning that they have no yellow tint. They are the rarest and as such most valuable. Even though the difference in coloration between D & E (and even D-F) color diamonds is impossible to see (unless compared), there are vast differences in prices.
VS1 is higher than the VS2 grade. The only difference between the two is a VS2 diamond's impurities can be easier to spot than those in a VS1. Imperfections in a VS2 grade diamond are similar in size and quantity to those in a VS1.