Diamond Ring Buying Guide and Advice: What to look for in a diamond (Page 3)
Now about color, the scale is D E F G H I J K L... D, E, and F are colorless, while G, H, and I are near colorless. Anything beyond that has a faint tint of yellow. Most people can't tell the different between a colorless and near colorless diamond. You might be able to tell the difference if you hold them side by side, but even then maybe not. Most engagement rings are usually about an H in color (near colorless). I'd recommend not going past an H in color, as an I sometimes picks up a slight hint. An F or a G might be a good deal, as it'll be basically colorless and cheaper than a D or an E. A lot of people are picky about color, so the price might change for something that you really can't tell a difference with. Below you will see an example of the colors/tints. And yes, it's not a problem with the picture - you can't really see much of a difference if any between the first few.
Color Scale / Yellow Tint
As for carat weight, I'm sure you know about this. The larger the weight, the bigger the diamond. Personally, I think people focus on this too much and always try to go for the biggest diamond. In reality, a .5 diamond might be as expensive as a 1 carat diamond if the .5 diamond is a really good quality. Small diamonds that are of excellent quality will get noticed more than a larger diamond that isn't so nice. Some women also feel that too big of a diamond may look weird on their hands (although they probably won't know this until they try one on). Jewelry stores often try to insist on buying at least a 1 carat diamond ring, and they make many women feel like anything less is bad. Well, to be honest, most diamonds are not nearly that big. A .5 to .7 carat diamond is a good size, and they're a lot cheaper (and often can be found in much better qualities). Women should really try on a diamond ring first and judge its size then rather than knowing the carat, as often times, they'll think the .5 to .7 carat diamonds are pretty big! However, if you're insisting on a 1 carat diamond ring, you might want to try for one that's right below a carat (maybe .9 or .95), as you'll save some extra money. When diamonds hit the 1 carat mark, that alone sends up the price more than it really should. It really helps to see the diamond actually on your (or your future wife's finger) as far as size goes, because they really appear larger on you than they do on paper.
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