It’s not shocking that online retailers have become extremely popular over the last 10 years. Shoppers are generally more comfortable using the internet to purchase items more than any generation before them, so it actually makes a lot of sense. The issue with online diamond retailers like Blue Nile is that you may be heavily overpaying for a diamond that is priced higher than it should be!
One of the most important concepts that we stress to our customers is that carat weight is NOT the end all be all when it comes to the quality of your diamonds. There are several key factors and specifications that go into choosing a beautiful stone.
Here is an example of how focusing on carat weight can cost you more at Blue Nile:
We recently had a one carat Blue Nile diamond come across our store. While it was technically a one carat diamond, the other specifications on its GIA certification tell slightly different story.
Blue Nile Diamond
Carat Weight: 1.01
Diameter: 6.26 x 6.33
The ideal diameter of a 1 carat diamond is 6.5 x 6.5. The smaller diameter on the Blue Nile diamond indicates that most of the carat weight is in the depth of the stone instead of the diameter.
Depth: 63.5%
The ideal depth percentage of a 1 carat diamond is 60-62%. Because the Blue Nile diamond is higher at 63.5%, it actually makes the stone look smaller than it’s weight suggests because it takes away from the diameter as mentioned above. This diamond looks more similar to a 0.9 carat stone than it does a 1.0 carat diamond.
Color: H
If you have done any diamond shopping, you are probably familiar with the range of diamond colors. However, you might now be aware that there is actually a range for every letter as well! This diamond is on the bottom edge of the H range, and really looks much closer to an I color stone instead of a true H color.
Clarity: SI2
An important factor in clarity is where the diamond’s flaws are located. You can have an SI2 with spread out imperfections or ones that are grouped together. The imperfections in the Blue Nile diamond are grouped near the center of the stone and are visible to the naked eye.
Another important note is the color of the flaw on the GIA certificate. Green imperfections meet the surface and are undesirable, while red imperfections do not meet the surface.
Crown Angle: More than 30 degrees
The angle of the crown is what gives a diamond the “sparkle” that you’ve always heard about. Less than 30% is ideal, but if it is higher you lose a considerable amount of that sparkle. Please note: Crown Angle is not a standard specification listed on GIA reports, but they do add it in this case when they think it is an issue with the specific diamond.
We want to be clear on this – the Blue Nile diamond is not a “bad” diamond. We routinely stock this type of diamond in our inventory. However, based on all of the stone’s characteristics it should be priced as a .9 carat diamond rather than true 1 carat price.
You’d be smarter to purchase a high quality .9 carat in the same price range that would look better to the naked eye and the same size!
Blue Nile price: ~$3,350
Our price: $2,995
At Jonathan’s, we price our diamonds so that you get exactly what you pay for. Here’s an example of a diamond in our inventory that is priced correctly:
Jonathan’s Diamond
Carat Weight: 1.06
Diameter: 6.57 x 6.59
This diamond exceeds the ideal diameter of a 1 carat diamond by having a larger diameter than 6.5 x 6.5. This is a good indication that most of the weight of the diamond is on top of the diamond, making it sparkle more.
Depth: 60.8%
This diamonds depth fits perfectly in the ideal 1 carat depth range of 60-62%. This means the diameter is in line with what a 1 carat diamond should be. This 1 carat diamond actually looks like a 1 carat diamond!
Color: H
Unlike the Blue Nile diamond that is also an H, our diamond is higher on the spectrum and is actually much closer to being graded as G color.
Clarity: SI2
While this diamond is also an SI2 – it has very different imperfections than the Blue Nile diamond in the first example. The imperfections are spread out instead of concentrated, and most of the imperfections are red and do not touch the surface of the diamond.
Blue Nile Price: ~$5,190
Our price: $4,395
Obviously this diamond is a higher price because it is just a higher quality diamond. But this example shows that there are many more factors in pricing a diamond than just the carat weight! If you want to get the most value for your money when purchasing a diamond – you need to look at all of the details on the GIA report.
We currently have both diamonds used as examples in this post in our inventory. If you’d like to purchase either of these or see them in person, please fill out a contact form to schedule an appointment!
For more engagement ring tips, check out our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. If you want to see what we do around here, check out our personal Instagram accounts below!
