How we choose the right diamond for your engagement ring

When we imagine choosing the perfect engagement ring that will celebrate an enduring love, having to consider the budget seems a little unromantic. But deciding how much to spend on a ring is an inevitable part of the process.

If you think a beautiful diamond is out of your price range, talking to Orsini director Sarah should put you at ease - she is able to accommodate a range of budgets and works through a thorough process to pick a diamond that suits your needs and your partner’s desires.

Know your budget and what you value

The scale of price with diamonds is enormous, so if you outline your budget with Sarah from the outset, she can find the right stone that works for you. “If a client says to me they've got a budget of maybe $15,000, then I would source a diamond within that budget and roughly the size they want as well,” she says. “It also depends on what's important to that person, but if they want a white, sparkly diamond - which is what most people say to me - I can get a really good diamond, and then I'll try to go for a bigger size because I’ve found generally that most women do like quite a big diamond.” However, if you are looking for something more understated, Sarah can source a stone that is higher in quality but smaller is size.

The 4 Cs

The quality of a diamond can be assessed using the ‘4 Cs’ - cut, colour, clarity and carat weight. Diamonds with a high cut grade will have a high degree of brightness and sparkle. For colour, an alphabet scale is used, with the best and most expensive diamonds rated D, and the lower quality diamonds rated Z. Clarity considers whether the diamond has natural internal defects, called inclusions, and carat weight refers to the diamond’s weight on an electronic scale. You can find out more about the 4 Cs here.

Depending on which of these attributes are important to you, Sarah can find a diamond that fits within the amount you are planning to spend by making concessions in one or more of the Cs. “I have a formula I use to source the diamonds and sometimes I'll go through hundreds of diamonds with my supplier to find the perfect size, colour, budget,” she says.

Perfection is possible

If you’ll settle for nothing less than the perfect diamond, then Sarah is happy to oblige - just know that the rarity of these diamonds means they come at a price. “I have made rings before where they’re internally flawless and D colour, so that's the top colour, and with absolutely no inclusions in the diamond whatsoever and excellent cut,” says Sarah. “They're very expensive, but I can source them if somebody really wants perfection. It depends on what's important to them.”