When it comes to a diamond's carat weight, one of the most talked about of the 4Cs, there's a lot of conflicting information. Here's everything you need to know about diamond carats while shopping for your engagement ring!
What is a diamond carat?
The term carat is often misunderstood. It refers to a diamond's weight, not its size. The reason why larger carat weights are more expensive is due to their rarity. The bigger the carat size, the more rare the diamond, and therefore the more expensive it is.
Is bigger always better?
A misconception is that a larger carat weight is always better than a smaller carat weight. Carat weight impacts how large a diamond will appear, but so does its shape and cut quality. Cut is the determinant of how much a diamond sparkles. In fact, a high-carat weight diamond with a poor cut may look smaller than a diamond with a smaller-carat weight and a very good cut.
How can I get the most value for my money when it comes to a diamond carat?
1. Buy shy: Opt for a carat weight slightly below the whole and half-carat marks. For example, instead of a 2.00-carat diamond, consider rounding down to a 1.90-carat weight (just shy of 2 cts - hence ‘buy shy’). This will save a considerable amount of money, and the slight difference will never be noticed.
2. Get a fancy shape: Fancy shapes (anything other than a round diamond) cost less per carat than an equivalent round diamond. Additionally, fancy shapes can appear larger than their actual diamond carat weight size.
Additional Considerations that impact how large your diamond looks:
1. Ring Size: The smaller the finger, the larger the diamond will appear. A 1 carat diamond solitaire looks larger on a size 5 finger than a size 9
2. Band Size: Selecting a thin band creates a perspective that makes the center stone appear larger (a thin band also comes with it’s own pitfalls though!)
3. Setting type: If you opt for a certain setting, such as a halo (which has a ring of small diamonds around the center stone), it could make the centre diamond seem larger.
What does TCW mean?
A phrase to look for when shopping is “Total Carat Weight” or TCW. Total carat weight represents the total weight of all diamonds or other gemstones in a piece of jewelry when more than one stone is used. This includes diamonds present in the ring’s halo, band, and accent/side stones used.
Take our style quiz to get matched with your own personal jewelry designer. Meet with your designer to learn more about the 4Cs, including a diamond's carat weight.
Watch the full guide to diamond carats video here:
