carat
Carat weight can appear differently across different diamond shapes such as round, princess, pear, oval, cushion, marquise, emerald, radiant or heart. A diamond may have a higher carat weight without appearing larger and two diamonds of the same carat weight can vary in size if one is cut deeper than the other. In other words, it is important to note that carat weight does not necessarily denote size.
Like the marquise diamond, an oval shaped diamond also appears bigger than your traditionally shaped diamonds. For example, it is observed that an oval diamond can appear approximately 10% bigger than a round diamond, hence, a 1.8-1.85 carat oval diamond will look just as big as a 2 carat round. This in turn also allows the buyer to obtain a larger looking diamond with a considerable saving.
Additionally like a marquise diamond, the elongated and slender shape of the oval diamond makes the wearer’s hands and fingers appear slimmer. When designing an engagement ring with an oval shaped diamond, it is best to opt for a ring design with four or six prongs as this really highlights the shape of the diamond and its elegant flair.
Oval diamonds, on the other hand, are less delicate than marquise diamonds as oval diamonds have no sharp edges, therefore making it less prone to chipping.
color
Color refers to the natural tint inherent in white diamonds. In nature, most white diamonds have a slight tint of yellow. The closer to being “colorless” a diamond is, the rarer it is. The industry standard for grading color is to evaluate each diamond against a master set and assign a letter grade from “D” (colorless) to “Z” (light yellow).
When deciding on which colour of the diamond will fit perfectly on your solitaire ring, it is important to decide whether you prefer the warmer tones of G-H or the more icy tones of D-F. For example, if you are looking to buy a ring in rose gold or yellow gold, then it is recommended to go for the warmer tones of G-H.
clarity
Diamond clarity is a measure of the purity and rarity of the diamond and is graded by the visibility of these characteristics under 10-power magnification. A diamond is graded as flawless if, under 10-power magnification, no inclusions (internal flaws) and no blemishes (external imperfections) are visible.
Choosing the clarity of the diamond for your ring is entirely down to personal preference. Some buyers are entirely indifferent to inclusions that are not visible to the naked eye and some buyers are interested in diamonds that are completely or near flawless.
When buying an oval diamond you can be a bit lenient with the clarity you choose as due to the shape, the inclusions tend to be very well hidden especially at the rounded ends of the diamond.