This is a question best answered yourself as it’s not one size fits all. Fret not though, I’m here to offer guidance! Popular carats come at intervals of 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, etc. These are sometimes called magic intervals.
Now, to put my recommendation into perspective, I’ll give a little context. I'm tall but my fingers are chubby. The best carat size for my hands in a way that I can easily do my light daily activities is 2. If you're active, then be more careful when it comes to choosing high carats. My friend's hands are chubbier compared to mine. But she works in her office so she wears a sparkly 5 carat one.
Let's be honest. The best size is what you can handle in two ways. If you do light stuff go as big as possible. If you're active, keep it as high as possible without letting it get in your way. That said, if you’d like the most sought after diamonds, you will want to be looking at the 2-3 carat range. Or, you could go bigger if you want to rock that rock (pun unintended!) ;)
References: Jewelry Notes, Beyond 4Cs
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I’ll start by differentiating between carat and size. Carat is the weight of your diamond. Size, on the other hand, are the dimensions of the diamond from the top view, also known as the spread. Take a look at our article for more details.
With this in mind, you’ll want to select a diamond that balances both the carat weight and the size (spread). What balance is that for you? You’d know best based on your preferences! ;) For extra inspiration, you can refer to our article.
Reference: International Gem Society
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When selecting a diamond, some people shop by carat weight alone. A diamond carat is not the same thing as a diamond size (spread). See our article on carat weight vs size for more information. I know by now you’d want me to cut to the chase so here goes! ;)
A good size diamond is one that balances its weight and spread. That way, there’s much to see on the ring as much as there’s the carat weight to brag about!
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Over the years, we’ve been made to think that the bigger the better but it’s not always so! What do I mean? More often than not, diamond cutters focus on the diamond carat size at the expense of quality. Among the factors that determine a diamond’s quality is the color and clarity. These depend on how well the stone is cut. What more, if a diamond is big but with inferior color and clarity the flaws will be more noticeable!
With this in mind, it’d be up to you as a diamond consumer to decide what you’re looking for in that perfect stone. Are you more about beauty? Are you after a rock no matter its light return and sparkle? You have all the cards on the table now so...what will it be?
References: Jewelry Notes, Blue Nile, Burrels, Beyond 4Cs
Diamond Carat |
1. Does the Carat of a Diamond Affect the Size? |
2. Does Diamond Size Affect Price? |
3. Is More Carats Better for Diamonds? |
4. How Many Carats in a Diamond Is Good? |
5. Is It Better to Have a Bigger Diamond or Better Quality? (U're 👋) |
6. What Is a Good Size Diamond? |
7. What Size Carat Diamond Should I Get? |
8. Which Carat Diamond Is the Best? |
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What carats do people favor? That would be the intervals 0.5 ct, 0.75 ct, 1 ct, 1.5 ct, 2 ct etc, sometimes called the magic intervals. Most people will go for anything over a carat. If you’re looking for an average-sized diamond, then you can never go wrong with 1.5 carats!
Carats that fall just under the popular carat weights are often sold at a lower price than the full weight. Why? They are less desirable, for example, a 0.9-carat diamond compared to a full carat. Away from the books, the visual difference would be negligible to the naked eye.
For some people, a diamond is a status symbol and is considered a sign of wealth. Such people will go for the rocks, typically over 5 carats. Statement diamonds are ones to turn eyes and command attention and respect.
All said and done, the answer is….drumroll please…..none! ;) What I mean is there’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to selecting diamond carats. Rather, it depends on what’s most important to you! :)
References: International Gem Society, Who What Wear, The Diamond Pro, Lumera
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Carat is a standard unit for diamond weight. The more the carats, the heavier the diamond. If all other factors are held constant, more carats mean more value. If you’re looking for a status symbol for your diamond, you’ll want to consider higher carats. At the same time, while carat weight is a key pointer to the value, it shouldn’t be the only one. For more information, look at our article on priorities.
Armed with this information, go get yourself those carats! ;)
References: Whiteflash, I Do Now I Don't
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Now that we have that out of the way, shouldn’t our question should be if a diamond carat affects its price? I’m glad you agree! ;) Now to our answer! A diamond’s carat weight is actually the biggest contributor to its price. This is because it’s the most unbiased way to determine a diamond’s true value.
This means then that the higher the carat (and possibly bigger) the diamond, the more its cost! What contributes to price jumps (especially the dramatic ones) as a diamond gets bigger is:
Bigger diamonds are less readily available than small ones. If the laws of supply and demand have taught us anything, it is that the less the supply, the more the demand. The more the demand, the more the value and hence the higher the price.
Diamond carats get more popular at key intervals like 0.5 ct and 1ct. These intervals are sometimes called “magic” intervals. This makes diamonds at these intervals more expensive.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the prices of diamonds are not directly proportional to their size. Instead, they increase quickly by large amounts in relation to their carat sizes. As an example, if half a carat diamond costs $4000 it doesn’t mean that a 1-carat diamond would cost $8000. There you have it! :)
References: Diamond Rocks, Diamond Valuation, Beyond 4Cs, PriceScope, International Gem Society
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The quick answer to this question is….. yes and no! :) How now, you ask? Carat is the weight of your diamond. The higher the carat, the heavier the diamond and possibly, the larger. But besides the weight of your stone, you'll want to consider the spread. This is the mm dimensions of the face (table) of the stone, which determines its size when you look at it from the top. Are we still talking about diamonds or did we switch to tables, you wonder? ;) Here...here, I got your back!
Because the table is the part of the stone that is visible in the ring, it’s just as important as the weight. This is because stones can have different shapes and be cut in different ways. Two stones with the same weight may have a different spread (size).
In summary, carat does affect the size of a diamond but insignificantly. It should thus not be the only consideration when looking for your perfect diamond. There you go! ;)
References: GIA, AAA Jewelers, RapNet, Jewelry Notes, Naturally Colored, Beyond 4Cs, Diamond Valuation
Diamond Carat |
1. Does the Carat of a Diamond Affect the Size? (U're 👋) |
2. Does Diamond Size Affect Price? |
3. Is More Carats Better for Diamonds? |
4. How Many Carats in a Diamond Is Good? |
5. Is It Better to Have a Bigger Diamond or Better Quality? |
6. What Is a Good Size Diamond? |
7. What Size Carat Diamond Should I Get? |
8. Which Carat Diamond Is the Best? |
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