Next, let’s talk setting
Depending on your stone choice, you can opt to save or splurge on the setting. Generally, the least expensive setting is a sleek solitaire, like our bestselling Stella or Bella settings. As you add more gold and more accent stones, the price increases, but with $7,000, the options are aplenty.
Need some inspo? Browse our one-of-a-kind Ready to Ship Rings or Book a Free Virtual Consult to chat custom. Remember, there’s no markup for custom so if you see something you love on the site, we can usually recreate a custom version for you at around the same price.
The Details
This is where the Gem Breakfast magic lives —think milgrain edges, hidden halos, hand-engraved constellations and nature inspiration, tulip-shaped diamond baskets, our coveted claw prongs – truly, the limit does not exist.
How to Maximize Your Diamond Budget
If it’s natural diamonds or nothing for you – we’ve got you. And if more is always more in your books, you’ve come to the right place. We live to find you the largest, most incredible diamond in your budget, because it’s absolutely not about spending more—it’s about spending smarter.
1. Cut > Everything
If you want a diamond that looks larger and blinds passersby with its sparkle, cut is the most important of the 4 Cs. A high-quality cut will look bigger, reflect more light, hide inclusions better, and sparkle with the light of a thousand suns. Start with Very Good or Excellent cut grades and we’ll show you where to save from there.
2. Be Strategic with Color + Clarity
You don’t need a D color, flawless clarity stone to get that bright white look. In fact, D color grades often look cubic zirconia-esque and no one but an expert Gemologist can tell the difference between an E and an F grade diamond. Here’s your insider tips on choosing both color and clarity:
- Go lower on clarity – The goal is to find an “eye clean” diamond – meaning no inclusions visible to the naked eye. Depending on the shape, you can usually find an eye-clean diamond in the VS1–VS2 range. And with brilliant cuts, you can sometimes even find eye-clean diamonds in the SI range.
The result? More money left in your budget for a higher carat weight!
3. Carat Cleverness
A couple things to remember when it comes to carat:
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Carat refers to the weight of a diamond, not its size. A well-cut 1-carat diamond can look significantly larger than a poorly cut diamond of the same carat weight. Also the diamond cut style matters – for example, a 1.0 carat rose cut diamond will look noticeably larger from the top view than a brilliant cut diamond.
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Try shopping ‘just shy’ of popular carat weights. Often a 0.96 diamond will cost noticeably less than a 1.0 carat diamond but looks identical to the naked eye. Same goes for a 1.85 carat diamond vs a 2.0 carat diamond for example.
Embrace the Illusion
Here’s how to amplify the look of your center stone without adding any carat weight:
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Choose elongated shapes like oval, marquise, or pear. They look larger than round diamonds at the same carat weight.
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Opt for thinner bands to make your center stone pop.
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Halo or half-halo settings can create the illusion of a larger looking center stone. Ditto on side stones that can give more finger coverage.
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Prong settings allow more of the stone to show, creating the illusion of a larger looking, more sparkly stone.
Feeling lost? Don’t worry, we got you! We know where to splurge, where to save, and where to look to find you the most mesmerizing (and biggest) diamond in your budget. Send us a message or book a free consult to chat about all things engagement.
Read our blog for more pro-tips on picking the most dazzling diamond for your dollar.
