A lot of men know little to nothing about diamonds until the day they start shopping for a diamond engagement ring. They probably don’t know even the first thing about diamonds – the terminology used, what qualities make one diamond better than others or anything else for that matter.

Most men only know one thing about diamonds – size matters; and the larger the diamond, the larger the price tag. It’s actually weight which carats measure, not size. A carat is 200 milligrams. The more the diamond weighs, the more it will cost.

There is more to know about when buying a diamond than just the carat weight though. When I look at diamonds, it’s actually a secondary concern. More so than weight, I look at the diamond’s “spread”. Remember this word.

Spread refers to the size of the diamond rather than weight. Spread refers to the diameter of the gem; this is the measure from one side of the diamond to the other (strictly speaking, diameter refers to circles, but most engagement ring diamonds are roughly circular in shape).

When you are looking at a diamond, spread should be the first thing you think about. Carats do matter, but spread is even more important – it affects how large the diamond will look when you present it to your fiancée.

A diamond which weighs only .9 carats could actually look bigger than a diamond which weighs in at one carat, depending on spread. The one carat gem will cost more, but seem to be smaller to the eye. This is why spread is important – you could spend less money for a diamond which will be far more visually striking.

In my diamond buying guide, you’ll see how spread can help you get the most diamond for your dollar without having to compromise on quality. There's a few simple steps you can take.

My diamond buying guide will show you how to keep from buying a diamond which is smaller than it could be with a price tag which is larger than it needs to be. You can spend less and get a great diamond – go to my website to find more information.

If you are looking for a diamond engagement ring or in fact any diamond jewelry, you should always examine the spread of the diamond. This is an important factor – one which jewelers often fail to mention.

Best of luck!

Check out http://www.engagementrings101.com to grab yourself a guide that shows you how you can save thousands of dollars off your diamond ring purchase!

Tags: education, reference