Once you have learned about the 4Cs of a diamond, you can use them to help save yourself money. At McCoy Jewelers, we will never tell you that you need to spend more money. We have a few tips that can help you make the most of your budget.

• Cheat the Carat Weight.

Your diamond, whether natural or lab grown, is grouped in certain brackets. This is normally in 0.25 increments. For example, one bracket would be 1.25ct-1.49ct, the next would be 1.50ct-1.75ct. If you are looking for a 1.50ct center stone, selecting a diamond with the same cut, color, clarity but a 1.49ct will be less than a 1.50ct.

You can save some cash by selecting a diamond that is just slightly lower than the next bracket size. Small differences in scale are invisible to the naked eye.

• Mess with Color.

Online shops are going to tell you that you need a high color diamond or lab grown diamond. They want you to buy a higher color diamond because you are going to spend more money. It is completely unavoidable.

We will show you all different color gradings so you can see what different color grades tend to look like (Keep in mind that a color grade does not guarantee how a diamond will look, that’s why diamonds should NEVER be bought online). If you like colorless diamonds, sometimes a G color diamond gives that colorless look, but you are not at the price point of the DEF grading. (Read more about the 4cs here)

• Choose a Halo.

If your budget does not allow for your ideal diamond size, choosing a halo can help you achieve the scale of that diamond without the price tag. The halo is designed to enlarge the center stone appearance. It will make the center stone appear significantly larger and will definitely help the wallet.

If you play around with these three secret tips, you can save yourself some money. When you are working with one of our experts, they are able to help you get the most out of your budget using these secret tips.