Diamond guidance
Diamond Buying Guides
Practical answers about the 4Cs, IGI reports, diamond origin, clarity grades, shapes, pricing, ring settings, and choosing a loose stone for an engagement ring.
01 Choose a place to begin
The 4Cs, read like a buyer
Carat, color, clarity and cut are how every lab-grown diamond gets described. Here's what each one means in practice, which ones you'll actually see, and where your money does the most work.
Lab-grown and natural diamonds
They're the same material with different origins. Here's what's shared, what isn't, and which questions actually matter when you compare two stones.
How lab-grown diamond prices work
What actually moves the price of a lab-grown diamond, where retail markup hides, how to compare two listings fairly and how to figure out what a finished ring will really cost.
Buying a loose diamond for a ring setting
How to buy a loose diamond for a custom ring or a setting you already have, from matching measurements to handing the stone to your jeweler.
Buying a lab-grown diamond for an engagement ring
How to choose a loose center stone, plan the setting, keep the total cost honest and get everything done before the proposal.
Diamond clarity grades, explained
What every clarity grade means, what a grader actually sees at 10x, and how to tell whether an inclusion will show once the diamond is on a hand.
Diamond shapes, compared
Round, oval, cushion, princess, radiant, emerald, pear and marquise, side by side. How each one looks, what length-to-width ratio to aim for, and what each needs from a setting.
02 Keep the paperwork in context
An IGI report records findings about an individual stone. It is not an appraisal, insurance valuation, guarantee, or promise about resale. When the answer depends on a particular stone or jeweler, the guide explains what to verify.
Read the Frequently Asked Questions or return to the storefront.