How to Compare Loose Diamonds When Buying Online

The process of buying a diamond should reflect the excitement of giving or wearing one; crystal clear information and guidance, sparkling customer service, and an outstanding assurance and benefits package will pave the way to seamless diamond buying success.

Our complete diamond buying guide offers a thorough, step by step approach to all aspects of buying diamonds. For those just beginning their journey, it is an excellent place to start. This guide to comparing loose diamonds online is about the intricacies of diamond buying, and using our extensive diamond education resources to make informed and detailed comparisons.

Budget will be a governing factor when you make your diamond comparisons. Having a clear idea of what you want to spend and a realistic understanding of what that budget will get you is key when choosing a diamond. Our filter tools allow you to narrow down your search within a specific price bracket.

There are no hard and fast rules on how much you should spend. While some buyers choose the traditional ‘3 months salary’ approach, others will simply save until they have a reasonable budget. Remember to consider a total budget, then allocate what you will spend on a loose diamond and how much you will spend on a setting.

Much like setting your budget, how you apply the Four C’s during your comparisons will be personal. Some people will want a high color, others a high clarity; above all of these though, you must pay close attention to the cut.

At Whiteflash, we have in-depth education pages dedicated to diamond cut, and with good reason. The cut unleashes the fire, brilliance and scintillation – it is the single most important feature of a diamond and the difference between blinding sparkle and a dull, lacklustre stone.

A measure of any diamond company is indicated by how effectively and comprehensively they present the cut quality of their diamonds. The AGS and GIA give a grade for cut quality, but this is only the beginning.

Once you have used the cut grade to refine your choices, it is a case of using HD Video, diamond light performance imaging and proportions to analyse the cut (we will take a closer look at this shortly).

Our A CUT ABOVE® diamonds are among the most elite diamonds in the world. Cut to the most exacting standards possible, they give exceptional light return and demonstrate the power of precision and symmetry. We operate with complete transparency and proudly detail what makes our A CUT ABOVE® diamonds so special by posting the entire list of specifications and qualifications for the brand. We welcome comparisons and give our customers every detail they would need to do so; such is our confidence in these exquisite diamonds. Also take a look at our article comparing A CUT ABOVE® diamonds VS other brands.

Tip: Use HD Video/Images and diamond light performance reports for an accurate assessment of cut quality.

Diamond color may be observed as a yellow, brown or grey hue, and is graded in the laboratory using master comparison diamonds. High-res imaging is helpful when buying loose diamonds online as one way you can assess the viusual impact of a diamond’s body color. The GIA and AGS color grades are accurate and easy to interpret – furthermore, we provide plenty of visuals to give you a complete view of diamond color. Color acuity is variable among people, and the setting you choose can also affect how white your diamond will appear.

Tip: HD imaging and Video is instrumental for assessing color impact. For reliable and consistent color grades, only choose GIA and AGS certified diamonds.

It has never been easier to assess diamond clarity online. In a bricks and mortar shopping experience, you rely on the clarity grading combined with an assessment using a jeweler’s loupe. A 10X loupe is a great way to analyze clarity, but it can take a little practice. High-res imaging and 360 videos allow you to view magnified images of the diamond so you can scrutinize even the smallest inclusions with ease.

All of our diamonds are GIA or AGS certified. These laboratories are the most internationally respected and are known for their consistent and accurate grades. AGS reports include light performance based cut quality analysis. Comparing diamonds with certificates other than AGS and GIA can present challenges. A certificate from an inferior grading laboratory is likely to give inflated grades, overstating the true quality of the diamond and skewing the prices. We highly advise only considering GIA and AGS certified diamonds for your engagement rings and diamond jewelry. You can view a PDF copy of the diamond certificates for all of our in-house loose diamonds right there on the diamond detail page.

Tip: Only select diamonds with GIA or AGS reports. You can read our summaries of IGI certification and EGL certification to understand the risk that substandard reports pose to buyers.

Light performance reports and advanced diamond imaging take you beyond the data on a certificate. These detailed analytics give you precise information pertaining to light return and optical symmetry. We offer our customers a clear and thorough education in interpreting the following reports (which are provided as standard for all of our in-house diamonds):

We provide these reports because of our unwavering confidence in the quality of our diamonds. They are valuable, user-friendly tools to empower educated buyers to find the most beautiful diamonds within their budget. Easily compare diamond images to assess light return, facet precision, and sparkle.

An easy comparison is one of the immediate benefits to buying a loose diamond online. As well as better prices, quality and a better selection, choosing a loose diamond online gives you the freedom to completely refine your search and specify exactly what characteristics you are looking for.

But the benefits shouldn’t stop there. A beautiful diamond is one thing, but building a lasting relationship with your chosen vendor should also be part of the deal.

We love our diamonds and our customers do too, however with decades of experience under our belt, we understand that such a significant purchase can cause uncertainty. To alleviate those feelings, we offer a one-year buyback on all of our A CUT ABOVE®, Expert Selection and Premium Select Diamonds. This promise is in addition to our 30-day money back guarantee. We trust you will make the right choice the first time round, but if you don’t, our policies are created with customer needs in mind.

Anniversaries, birthdays or Christmas…whatever your reason for trading up, our straightforward 100% trade-up policy is a benefit that has been extremely popular with our customers for over twenty years. Our trade up program is the best in the business enabling you to trade your qualifying Whiteflash diamond at any time for any other single in-house diamond of equal or greater value.

Tip: Take the pressure off – refund, buy back and trade up schemes should be set with the consumer in mind to give you confidence while shopping.

There is a standard for buying diamonds online which, in our opinion, is non-negotiable. When purchasing something of such emotional and financial significance, customers deserve to have as much information as possible. We have outlined the essentials for comparing loose diamonds online.

This is not an exhaustive guide; our customers are as unique as the diamonds they buy and we treat them as such At Whiteflash we can confidently say we tick all the boxes for your diamond needs. Contact one of our friendly experts if you need assistance and begin your loose diamond search today.