Buying the perfect engagement ring is a tough task. Usually, people will opt for a gorgeous and carefully cut and polished gemstone, be it diamond, or a coloured stone, or something more alternative like a moonstone. When diamonds and gemstones are cut, the intention is to maximize the stone's refractivity, which in turn translates to a more general brilliance. The cut makes the stone, which is why cut is the most important of the four Cs: cut, colour, carat, and clarity. 

Enter: the raw diamond. Raw diamonds flip the diamond industry on its head, a little bit. Opting for a raw diamond brings in an exciting new variable that might be perfect for your engagement ring. Here is our ultimate buying guide for raw diamonds.

What is a raw diamond?

Raw diamonds are what they sound like: they are mined (always sustainably and ethically, if purchased from us!) and cut, but only into a general size and shape. It is not cut to maximize brilliance, and then is not polished. 

The result is a dynamic and "rough" looking surface, which brings in a really interesting and exciting look for engagement rings. The look and feel of raw diamonds are a bit similar to salt and pepper diamonds, which are polished, but feature lots of inclusion to create a highly dimensional look.

Why should I buy a raw diamond?

You should buy a raw diamond, first and foremost, if you like how it looks and if you know your partner would too. We love raw diamonds for unconventional folks, people who love the texture and the specific natural look of diamonds, and people who are a bit ethereal and fashion forward. 

Buying a raw diamond usually will save you money, as well, as the stone will not have been cut or polished. If you're looking to keep your budget lower, purchasing a raw diamond will definitely get you more bang for your buck.

The look of a lightly polished raw diamond, as demonstrated by our Ondine Ring. 

What should I look for when buying a raw diamond?

Luckily, buying a raw diamond does require some of the same considerations as buying a polished diamond. You will need to choose the carat size you're wanting to purchase first. This will be most strictly dictated by your budget. 

You should also consider the colour of your stone. Like polished diamonds, raw diamonds can range from absolutely colourless to quite yellow. The difference is that raw diamonds with a warm, golden tone can be quite beautiful, whereas in polished diamonds this is generally considered unfavourable. You can find beautiful, deeply coloured amber diamonds, or delicate, blush coloured stones, which bring a totally unique look and texture to the engagement ring. 

Also think about if you'd ever like to have the stone polished on your own, which you absolutely could. You might want some of the rougher edges filed down, or you might want the stone shaped differently. Make sure you budget for this.

The last thing to consider when buying your raw diamond is where it comes from. When buying raw diamonds, it's possible to purchase directly from the companies that do the mining, or that sell diamonds wholesale, and who consider raw diamond to be an "offcut" (a valuable one at that, though!). You should, in our opinion, be sure that the company you are buying from can prove that their operations are run ethically and sustainably.

Raw diamonds are beautiful stones and should never be overlooked when considering your engagement ring purchase. There's an excellent chance to save some money, and with such a unique diamond, your stone will be one of a kind, and totally suited to you and your partner. That's pretty romantic if you ask us.

If you have any more questions about raw diamonds, let us know below!

xo Evorden