How to make a diamond look bigger

According to market research, most diamond shoppers in the US prefer an engagement ring whose center can accommodate a 1-carat diamond. Buyers in other countries prefer a ring center size that can hold a 0.5- to 1.00-carat diamond. But as you shall find out, the situation is not as cut and dried as it sounds.

In many countries, the ideal carat weight of a diamond depends on the shoppers’ levels of income. However, it’s generally observed that a 1-carat diamond offers the best return for your money.

First, a 1-carat diamond is not too big to draw undue attention to yourself; neither is it too small to be invisible. It is the right size for those who do not find a 0.5- or 1.5-carat stone appealing or affordable. Also, 1-carat diamonds tend to be reasonably priced. You should note that diamond prices increase exponentially as opposed to linearly. For instance, a 3-carat diamond maybe five times as much as a 1-carat diamond, even if they are similar in all other aspects.

However, the choice of diamonds based on their carat weight is not always economical. In terms of size, you may discover that a 0.9-carat stone looks nearly as big as a 1-carat diamond but could be up to 35% cheaper. As is evident, the price relationship does not correlate with the 10% reduction in weight.

Size does matter when shopping for diamonds. Experts believe that size ought not to be viewed only from an economic standpoint since diamond prices vary exponentially. Instead, you should always consider the fire and brilliance of the stone you desire; this is where the other elements of the Four Cs come into play.

Diamonds come in various cuts and shapes, making choosing the right shape inevitable for a positive reflection on the overall size of the stone. Round shapes are the most popular and expensive, whose prices are mostly determined by the craftsmanship involved in cutting and polishing the stone.

Generally, round shapes create an illusion of size due to their infinite number of facets. As may already be known, the size of a diamond mostly comes down to its light-handling properties; the latter attributes are further determined by the number of angles the stone has as well as the extent to which those facets are elongated.

This formula shows that round diamonds look larger due to their infinite number of angles. However, the facets in a round diamond are not as stretched as those in oval-shaped diamonds. Besides, round-shaped diamonds are deep-cut, which means much of the stone lies beneath the surface. Therefore, oval shapes absorb and reflect maximum light and color for similar carat weights. Consequently, they will look larger.

Generally, consider fancy shapes when looking to enhance the size of your diamond. Examples of fancy diamond shapes include oval, marquise, pear, and emerald shapes.

Brightly-colored diamonds tend to appear larger than their dull-colored counterparts. Colorless diamonds, be that as it may, are an exception to this rule. Again, it all comes down to the light-handling characteristics of the diamond.

Diamonds with bright color hues of red, pink, purple, and green often appear larger than those with dull color hues such as brown. But if you prefer transparent diamonds, it is perfectly okay. However, should you opt for colored gems, your best bet is to choose those with bright and sparkly color hues? If in doubt, opt for colors closer to D on the diamond scale.

The clarity of a diamond denotes the number of inclusions the stone has. To determine that, grading is done based on how the stone scores in the diamond clarity chart which usually ranges from Internally Flawless to Inclusions 2.

Inclusions tend to impair the light-handling properties of a diamond, further making the stone appear smaller. The more the number of inclusions, the poorer the light-handling attributes of the stone. Therefore, always insist on diamonds with fewer inclusions for the same carat weight. Opt for a stone whose grading report suggests a clarity score closer to IF on the clarity chart.

The brightness of the band you choose also impacts the size of your diamond. Mirror-bright metals, such as white gold and platinum, reduce the contrast between the center stone and the metal. Therefore, they complement your diamond's sparkle and brilliance, ultimately making it look larger. While observing the diamond from afar, you would think it is as big as the band's size.

When choosing the color and brightness of a diamond ring, insist on metals that reduce the contrast between the diamond and the band. The goal is not to make the centerpiece stand out but to merge it with the metal so that it looks like one large piece of diamond.

When shopping for an engagement ring, the focus should not be on the ring but on the diamond. Going for thicker and broader bands will make the stone look relatively smaller.

The aforementioned arguments entail why experts recommend choosing slimmer bands. Examples include a petite solitaire engagement ring or a halo engagement ring. To ensure the ring accentuates the center stone, go for those taper as they approach the diamond.

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The prong setting is one of the popular methods of mounting a diamond on a piece of jewelry. In this method, small metal projections, known as prongs, hold the diamond to a ring.

The main idea behind the use of diamond prongs was to secure a diamond to a piece of jewelry firmly. However, prongs are used nowadays to maximize the light striking the center stone. By harnessing the light from various angles, prongs can enhance the sparkle and brilliance of a diamond, thereby improving its size. Therefore, it is logical to imagine that more prongs on a piece of jewelry would make the diamond stand out, though it is important to note here that it is not always the case.

Most diamonds in settings, such as Tiffany or Solitaire, feature up to 8 prongs. But experts opine that the fewer prongs, the larger the diamond will look. The ideal number of prongs in a standard engagement ring should be 4. If you are primarily looking to secure a secure setting and not necessarily to bring out a diamond’s sparkle, you would be better off with a bezel setting.

If you must go for more than four prongs, ensure they are as thin as possible; this way, they will not steal the show from the real gem. But going for fewer and thinner prongs is not enough. It is also important to ensure that they are designed from mirror-bright metals.

On the settings, you should opt for the most strategic design that offers maximum prominence to the diamond. Halo settings have always been a preference for many, especially those who desire a large centerpiece diamond. A halo of smaller pavé stones surrounds the center stone in these settings. Experts believe a halo setting can make your diamond appear up to 1.5 times larger. Also, as you may expect, this can save you hundreds of dollars that you might otherwise spend, increasing the carat weight.

In addition to halo ring designs, you may also consider cluster settings. In the latter, stones of nearly equal sizes are grouped. Besides creating an illusion of size, cluster settings can be customized into different shapes, such as a sunburst or a flower. Moreover, they are ideal for people with smaller hands or fingers.

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Some jewelers may include a magnifying material at the base of the setting where a diamond would be mounted. The material absorbs as much light as possible and reflects it on the diamond. As such, the diamond appears deceptively larger than it is. The only problem with this trick is that such materials can lose their luster over time; polishing them would require dismounting the diamond.

Repeated mounting and dismounting could cause the diamond to wear off. A better alternative here would be to keep your diamond as clean as possible. The cleaner the stone, the brighter it looks. As for the cleaning, you can either have your local jeweler do it for you or do it yourself using jewelry-grade cleaners and polishing cloths.

The size and weight of diamonds affect their prices and overall brilliance. When looking for a large diamond, most shoppers would naturally go for higher carat weights. But as we have highlighted above, there are numerous ways you can enhance the size of your diamond without necessarily shelling out extra bucks on more carats.