After a seriously blingy, and fascinating diamond shopping masterclass recently, Grazia Daily are now fully fledged (well, almost) experts in shopping for the sparkly beauties. So, with less than a week before Christmas, and a near pandemic of engagements anticipated over the festive season, we reckon a little diamond buying guide is just the ticket for this drizzly shopping day. And the best bit? All of these bad boys are available online, so no need to traipse through city centres with an upturned umbrella and disintegrating paper bags today. Phew!

So what have we learned? Size isn’t everything. The size, measured in carats is both a measure of the weight of the diamond, but it is also a grading of price. So although the size difference between 0.9 carat and a 1 carat diamond is minute, the price brackets mean that going up to the full carat means a huge price increase, not necessarily in line with the actual size. Our advice, stay just a little under the full carat and no-one would ever know the difference!

Secondly, are flaws. These can only be seen very very minutely under a seriously strong lens, and although will mean a lesser retail value than a flawless diamond, the cut, colour and overall sparkliness of it all might look a whole lot nicer to you,  so don’t be put off my these tiny marks. Unless you’re a diamond dealer that is!

Lastly, the cut is really important. The light moving around the cutes in the diamond are what make them really shine, so the shape means everything. Flatter, more deco styles will never sparkle as much as a round cut solitaire, so if its dazzling depth of sparkle you’re after, then go for a round, heart or oval cut stone.

Check out Diamond Manufacturers for more information and diamond shopping!