If you are considering buying a diamond for use in jewelry,
here are some following suggestions:

1. In general, add 50% to the carat weight for an uncut diamond because they are more bulky than faceted diamonds. A 1.00 carat brilliant-cut faceted diamond is 6.4 mm in diameter around the girdle. A similar sized 6.5 mm uncut diamond will be in the 1.5 carat range.

2. The exception to rule number 1 above is a macle diamond. These are triangular diamond crystals that are the result of crystal twinning and they resemble triangular trillion-cut faceted diamonds. Because they are shallower than comparable uncut diamonds of equal weight, they appear much larger for a given carat weight. A 6 mm (on each of the triangular edges) macle diamond will weigh approximately 1.00 carat.

3. Look for a diamond crystal with natural sparkle - lots of small reflections of light caused by the crystal faces bouncing light internally throughout the crystal. Some diamonds have flat, planar faces (glassies) and look dull. Other diamonds have a satin-like surface luster that is often attractive, but kills the internal sparkle. The best crystals for natural diamond jewelry will have complicated crystal faces with striations, trigons, or simply a unique shape that gives them an internal sparkle.
   All diamonds on this page were selected for their natural sparkle.

4. Consider the the color of the surrounding setting when selecting the color of the diamond. It is best to contrast yellow or brown diamonds with a white metal such as platinum, titanium or white gold. Yellow gold settings look best with green,  red, white diamonds.

5. Work with your jewelry designer when designing the final setting to determine the best orientation for the crystal. Rough diamonds are asymmetric and appearance can vary greatly depending on which faces you are looking through. Identify the best faces and then design the setting accordingly. Be orienting the diamond properly you can hide inclusions/flaws, enhance the color, and get maximum sparkle.

#52411, Diamond (0.44 carat yellow dodecahedral crystal), Damtshaa Mine, Botswana (t) $340

#46860, Diamond (0.71 carat yellow-gray complex crystal), Gran Sabana region, Venezuela (t) $390

#56503, Diamond (4.33 carat pale-yellow macle, twinned crystal), Guinea (t) $12350

#56508, Diamond (2.01 carat cuttable yellow octahedral crystal), Jwaneng Mine, Botswana (t) $3760

#52750, Diamond (3.66 carat gem-grade yellow octahedral crystal), South Africa (t) $11250

#28079, Diamond (2.48 carat yellow octahedral crystal), Diamantino, Brazil (t) $9525

#51290, Diamond (0.86 carat fancy-yellow dodecahedral crystal), Damtshaa Mine, Botswana (t) $945

#52751, Diamond (2.96 carat gem-grade yellow octahedral crystal), South Africa (t) $9150

#52765, Diamond (0.87 carat yellow dodecahedral crystal), Damtshaa Mine, Botswana (t) $575

#52120, Diamond (2.65 carat gem-grade pale-yellow octahedral crystal), Jericho Mine, Canada (t) $7800

#52778, Diamond (0.65 carat pale yellow octahedral crystal), Damtshaa Mine, Botswana (t) $725

#50946, Diamond (4.85 carat cuttable F-color octahedral crystal), Udachnaya Mine, Russia (t) $29500

#52119, Diamond (1.92 carat cuttable gem-grade pale-yellow octahedral crystal), Jericho Mine, Canada (t) $5700

#39336, Diamond (2.11 carat gem-grade yellow octahedral crystal), Premier Mine, South Africa (t) $5340

#52421, Diamond (1.29 carat yellow-gray dodecahedral crystal), Orapa Mine, Botswana (t) $995

#50947, Diamond (2.37 carat cuttable complex crystal), Guinea (t) $5200

#53443, Diamond (set of five colored diamonds totaling 4.98 carats), South Africa, Botswana, Namibia (t) $4850

#42941, Diamond (1.99 carat cuttable gem-grade yellow complex crystal), Brazil (t) $4680

#52763, Diamond (0.95 carat pale yellow dodecahedral crystal), Damtshaa Mine, Botswana (t) $625

#42932, Diamond (1.91 carat cuttable gem-grade yellow complex crystal), Brazil (t) $4495

#52056, Diamond (2.55 carat pale yellow-green macle, twinned crystal), Jwaneng Mine, Botswana (t) $4350

#50945, Diamond (0.84 carat white flattened crystal), Udachnaya Mine, Russia (t) $1850

#38949, Diamond (2.12 carat gem-grade pale-yellow octahedral crystal), Premier Mine, South Africa (t) $4225

#42933, Diamond (1.76 carat cuttable gem-grade yellow octahedral crystal), Brazil (t) $4150

#36177, Diamond (1.09 carat yellow trapezohedral crystal), Baken Mine, South Africa (t) $725

#30916, Diamond (1.31 carat yellow complex crystal), South Africa (t) $825

#52773, Diamond (0.71 carat white octahedral crystal), Mirny, Russia (t) $1650

#56674, Diamond (3.39 carat yellow complex crystal), Venetia Mine, South Africa (t) $9700

#53178, Diamond (1.52 carat yellow dodecahedral crystal), Orapa Mine, Botswana (t) $1170

#50952, Diamond (0.97 carat white complex crystal), Udachnaya Mine, Russia (t) $3200

#45525, Diamond (0.86 carat yellow complex crystal), Catoca Mine, Angola (t) $665

#52774, Diamond (1.13 carat pale yellow-green complex crystal), Damtshaa Mine, Botswana (t) $1250

Check out these other galleries:

Diamonds Priced under $200

Diamond Crystals in unusual crystals and clusters

Diamonds Priced $200 -$399

Diamond Crystals for Natural Diamond Jewelry

Diamonds Priced $400 - $999 

Gem-Grade Diamonds

Diamonds Priced $1000 and above

Jewelry designs with natural uncut diamonds

Advice on Cutting Rough Diamonds

See our other Gem Galleries

Gem Minerals

Tanzanite

Tourmaline

Diamonds

Guided Tour of the Mineral Galleries...

Gem-Grade Diamonds

Diamond Crystal in unusual crystals and clusters