How to choose a brilliant diamond

How do you go about selecting a brilliant diamond ring to get ready for your wedding?
Since the sparkle of a diamond is actually the interaction of the stone with light, the surroundings are crucial when you observe the diamond and its cut quality.
1. Be sure to examine the diamond under four different light sources.
A point light source (or many separate light sources) is the best way to see all the elements that trigger the sparkle. However, if there are too many point light sources and they are too bright, there will be too much glare and every diamond will look the same.
To avoid this, the ambient point light source should not be too strong when observing a diamond. Then, observe the diamond in diffuse lighting – fluorescence reflected back from a white ceiling is the best choice. Third, try to observe the diamond in a mixed lighting environment of point and diffuse light. Finally, don’t forget to observe the diamond in natural light.
2. Pay attention to the cut style.
The greater the number of facets in a diamond, the more reflective and diffused light there will be. A round brilliant cut diamond with 57 or 58 facets will look more sparkling than a single-flip diamond with only 17 or 18 facets.
If you care more about shape than roundness, you can still get the sparkle effect if you choose a brilliant faceted cut diamond shape. This includes princess, radiant, oval, pear, heart and horse eye shapes. 3.
3. Pay attention to the quality of the cut. If you are not sure how to judge a diamond’s sparkle, there is another way to choose a standard round brilliant diamond. The GIA Diamond Identification Certificate can be a great reference when you are looking for a sparkling diamond.
The GIA will certify round brilliant diamonds according to five cut grades: excellent, fine, good, fair, and poor.
A diamond with a “very good” cut is very bright. The diamond’s light and dark areas are contrasting and evenly proportioned, resulting in a sharp reflection of light. This means that the cutter has created the best possible stone from the rough.
A “good” cut grade means that the bright areas of the diamond are evenly distributed throughout the crown of the stone, with very few dominant areas.
In contrast, a diamond with a “good” cut is not as bright – the reflection is less sharp and there are more areas of darkness and opacity in the diamond.
A diamond with a “bad” cut has a large area of darkness and opacity that is noticeable. If given a choice, most people would choose between “excellent” and “fine”.