Diamond Critics
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123 Guides · 4 Categories

All Guides & Reviews

Every guide written by Farzana Hasan, GIA-certified diamond gemologist. Independent analysis. No sponsored content.

Jump to:Round Cut Diamond (88)Diamond Buying Guides (27)Retailer Reviews (7)Market Value & Price Trends (1)

88 Guides

Round Cut Diamond

The complete round brilliant series — price audits, color grades, clarity grades, settings, and lab vs natural comparisons.

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01Round Diamond H vs I Color: The I-Color Boundary 202602Round Diamond E vs F Color: The Near-Colorless Ceiling 202603Round Diamond D Color Guide: The True Colorless Test 202604What Is a Round Brilliant Cut Diamond: The 57-Facet System 202605Round Diamond VVS1 vs VVS2 Clarity: The VVS Divide 202606Round Diamond vs Old European Cut: Modern Brilliant vs Vintage 202607Round Diamond Vintage Engagement Ring: The Vintage Setting Premium 202608Round Diamond Video Inspection: The Video Mandate 202609Round Diamond Right Hand Ring: The RHR Rule 202610Round Diamond Resale Value: The 50-Cent Dollar 202611Round Diamond Price Per Carat Chart: The Per-Carat Multiplier 202612Round Diamond Pavé Engagement Ring: The Pavé Upgrade Trap 202613Round Diamond Men's Ring Guide 202614Are Round Diamonds a Good Investment? The Honest Answer 202615Round Diamond Inclusion Types: Full Risk Guide 202616Round Diamond IF and FL Clarity: The FL Tax 202617How to Compare Round Diamonds Online: Step-by-Step 202618Round Diamond Fluorescence Guide: Save 5–15% 202619Round Diamond Face-Up Size Chart (MM) 202620Round Diamond Eye-Clean Guide: The Eye-Clean Audit 202621Round Diamond Certification Guide: The Certificate Inflation Scale 202622Round Diamond Cathedral Setting: Snag Risk Guide 202623Round Diamond Buying Checklist: 12-Point Audit 202624Round Diamond Anniversary Ring Guide 2026259 Carat Round Diamond Price: Only 7 Stones Exist on Blue Nile 202626Round Diamond 4-Prong vs 6-Prong Setting: The Definitive Guide 2026270.9 Carat vs 1 Carat Round Diamond: The $743 Face-Up Trick 202628How to Read a GIA Diamond Report: Full Field Guide 202629VVS vs VS2 Round Diamond: 2026 Clarity Comparison30Round Diamond VS1 vs VS2: The VS Split (2026)31Round Diamond vs Moissanite: Full 2026 Comparison32Best Round Diamond Under $5,000: 2026 Buying Guide33Best Round Diamond Under $10,000: 2026 Buying Guide34Round Diamond Three Stone Ring: The Complete 2026 Guide35Round Diamond Solitaire Ring: The Complete Guide36Round Diamond SI2 Clarity: Is It Eye-Clean in 2026? The Risk Assessment37Round Diamond Natural vs Lab Grown: The 2026 Buyer's Decision Guide38Round Diamond Length to Width Ratio: The Perfect Circle Rule39Round Diamond Halo vs Solitaire: Which Ring Should You Buy?40G vs H Color Round Diamond: 2026 Visual Test and Price Data41F vs G Color Round Diamond: 2026 Price Data42Round Diamond Engagement Ring Under $3,000: The Complete 2026 Guide43D Color vs G Color Round Diamond: 2026 Price Comparison442 Carat vs 3 Carat Round Diamond: 2026 Prices451 Carat vs 2 Carat Round Diamond: 2026 Price & Size Comparison46Best Round Cut Diamond Engagement Ring: The Complete 2026 Buyer's Guide478 Carat Round Diamond Price: 2026 Buying Guide487 Carat Round Diamond Price: 2026 Buying Guide496 Carat Round Diamond Price: 2026 Buying Guide503 Carat Diamond Engagement Ring: The Complete 2026 Buyer's Guide512 Carat Diamond Engagement Ring: The Complete 2026 Buyer's Guide521 Carat Diamond Engagement Ring: 2026 Guide53Round Diamond vs Radiant Cut: Which to Buy in 2026?54Round Diamond vs Princess Cut: Which Should You Buy? (2026)55Round Diamond vs Pear Shape in 2026: The Teardrop Compromise56Round Diamond vs Marquise Cut in 2026: Size, Price, and Trade-Offs57Round Diamond vs Heart Shape in 2026: Which Should You Buy?58Round Diamond vs Emerald Cut: Which to Buy in 2026?59Round Diamond vs Cushion Cut: Which Should You Buy in 2026?60Round Diamond vs Asscher Cut: Which to Buy in 2026?61Round Diamond Table Percentage Guide 2026 — The Flash Trap and Ideal Range62Round Diamond Symmetry in 2026: EX vs VG and The EX/VG/VG Rule63Round Diamond Size Chart: Every Carat Weight to Scale (2026)64Round Diamond SI1 Clarity — Is It Eye-Clean in 2026? The 70% Rule Explained65Round Diamond Polish in 2026: Does GIA Excellent Polish Actually Matter?66Round Diamond Pavilion Angle in 2026: The Return Gate Explained67Round Diamond Ideal Proportions: The Complete Guide (2026)68Round Diamond Girdle Thickness in 2026: The Invisible Weight Trap69GIA vs IGI for Round Diamonds in 2026 — Which Certificate Actually Matters?70Round Diamond Fluorescence: The Complete Buying Guide (2026)71Round Diamond Depth Percentage Guide 2026 — The Deep-Cut Trap and Ideal Range72Round Diamond Culet in 2026: Why No Culet or Pointed Wins Every Time73Round Diamond Crown Angle in 2026: The Scintillation Gate Explained74Round Diamond Color Guide: The Best Color Grade to Buy in 202675Round Diamond Clarity Guide: Which Grade is Eye-Clean in 2026?76How to Buy a Round Diamond in 2026: The 5-Step Checklist That Saves $3,000+77GIA Certified Round Diamond: Why the Certificate Matters and What to Look For785 Carat Round Diamond Price in 2026: Real Costs, Lab vs Natural Guide794 Carat Round Diamond Price Guide 2026 — The Statement Diamond Explained803 Carat Round Diamond Price Guide (2026): What You Actually Pay at Every Grade812 Carat Round Diamond Price: Complete Guide (2026)821.5 Carat Round Diamond Price Guide 2026 — The $8,500 Sweet Spot Explained83Round Diamond vs Oval Diamond: The 2026 Verdict Nobody Gives You84Best Round Diamond Engagement Ring Settings: The 2026 Guide85Lab Grown Round Diamond: The Complete 2026 Price & Buying Guide86Hearts and Arrows Diamond: Is the 2026 Premium Worth It?871 Carat Round Diamond Price: The Complete 2026 Buyer's Audit88Round Cut Diamond: The Complete Buying Guide (2026 Price Data + 57-Facet Truth)

27 Guides

Diamond Buying Guides

Data-backed guides on the 4 Cs, certifications, and what to actually check before you buy.

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01Heart Shape Diamond Guide: Cut, Price & The Cleft Symmetry Trap (2026)02Asscher Cut Diamond: The Complete Buying Guide (2026 Prices, Cut Quality & Clarity Rules)03Marquise Cut Diamond Buying Guide: Avoid the Bowtie Trap (2026)04Pear Cut Diamond: The Complete 2026 Buying Guide (Bow-Tie, Prices & L/W Ratios)05Radiant Cut Diamond: The Complete 2026 Buying Guide (70 Facets, Prices & Honest Verdict)06Oval Cut Diamond: The Complete 2026 Buying Guide (Bow-Tie, Prices & L/W Ratios)07Emerald Cut Diamond: The Complete 2026 Buying Guide (Hall-of-Mirrors, Prices & Clarity Rules)08Cushion Cut Diamond: The Complete 2026 Buying Guide (Crushed Ice vs. Chunky, Prices & Proportions)09Princess Cut Diamond: The Complete Buying Guide, Prices & Honest Verdict (2026)10Diamond Shapes Guide: All 10 Shapes Compared by Price, Brilliance, and Value (2026)11SI Clarity Diamond: The $1,140 Saving, the 70% Eye-Clean Rule, and the Full 2026 Audit Guide12VS2 Clarity Diamond: Is It Really Eye-Clean? The $610 Audit Rule (2026)13VS1 Clarity Diamonds: The $850 Sweet Spot Nobody Tells You About14VVS2 Diamond: Avoid the $1,800 "VVS2 Tax" (The VS1 Arbitrage Rule)15VVS1 Diamond Clarity: Avoid the $3,500 "VVS1 Tax" (The VS1 Arbitrage Rule)16IF and FL Diamond Clarity: Avoid the $4,500 "FL Tax" (The VS2 Solution)17H Color Diamond: Avoid the $7,500 VVS Trap (The $3,250 Market Floor)18G Color Diamond: Don't Pay 2025 Prices (The 14% Market Floor Solution)19F Color Diamond: Don't Pay the Colorless Premium (The G-Grade Solution)20E Color Diamond: Stop Overpaying for D-Grades (The 15% Arbitrage Hack)21D Color Diamond: Avoid the 30% Fake Purity Trap With the Type IIa Audit22Diamond Size Chart: Stop Buying Invisible Carats (Save 30% at 6.5mm)23Diamond Clarity Chart (2026): Beware "Clouds Not Shown"24Diamond Color Scale: Stop Paying the D-E-F Luxury Tax25Diamond Cut Guide: Why 55% of "Excellent" Stones Leak Light26Lab Grown vs Natural Diamond Price: The 2026 $0 Resale Trap27Master the Diamond 4Cs: Save 35% on Your Engagement Ring

7 Guides

Retailer Reviews

Independent audits of Blue Nile, James Allen, and other online diamond retailers.

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