Solitaires are a lifelong investment and therefore becomes very important to choose them wisely. Before we go into details about the process of choosing a solitaire, let’s understand what a solitaire diamond is. It is simply a single diamond or gemstone, set by itself or together in your jewellery piece. This may be your engagement ring, a tennis necklace or your everyday diamond studs.
To make sure you select the apt diamond, here are the steps to consider:
1. Do Your Research
Know about the diamonds you are investing in. Diamonds are widely graded on four levels, also known as the 4Cs. The 4Cs include cut, color, clarity and carat weight.
~The Cut of a diamond determines it’s lustre and reflectiveness. The better the cut, the more sparkly your diamond will be.
~Diamond Colour ranges from colorless to yellow and at times even brown. The whiter a diamond is, the more expensive it will be, unless you go for a fancy colour diamond.
~All diamonds have flaws due to the high temperature and pressure conditions the carbon goes through. Some diamonds have little to no flaws while some have flaws that are visible to the naked eye. This determines the clarity of the diamond; VVS (very very slight inclusions), VS (very slight inclusions), SI (slight inclusions), I (inclusions).
~ The Carat weight is the weight and size of your solitaire which directly affects the price of your desired piece.
2. Determining Your Budget
After you have done your research it is now time to decide how much you’re willing to spend and if that amount is fixed or flexible. This will help you and the jeweller in selecting pieces that cater to your style within your spending capacity and save both of your time.
3. Deciding Your Design
Would you like chunky big pieces of jewels for occasional wear or are you looking for something minimal for your everyday? If there is a design you have in mind, discuss it with your jeweller and next steps become much easier!
4. Figure Our Your Priorities
Decide what are the must haves for you and what you can compromise For instance, if you’d like an eternity band with slightly larger diamonds and great clarity but are on a budget, you can opt for a Midi Eternity Band, or if you want something small and affordable, you can go for the Mini Eternity Band.
There are broadly three size categories we speak about at DiAi Designs, when it comes to solitaires-
Mini – consisting of affordable pieces with less diamond weight for a minimal everyday look
Midi – catering to people who love the classic looks and bling but are on a budget and don’t want anything ‘too bling’.
Grand – for all those diamond lovers who love to go as big as possible and are flexible with their budget (smartly, of course!)