When it comes to diamonds, there are so many terms, from carat to brilliance to cut, that you may not be aware of what they mean or how they impact a diamond. Carat is probably one of the most misunderstood attributes, as many believe that carat refers to the actual size of a stone. Carat actually refers to a diamond's weight rather than its physical size, although the two are related. In addition to carat, several factors can influence the apparent visual size of a diamond, including thediamond cut gradeand shape of the stone. Together, these elements determine the price at which a diamond sells to the consumer, whether they are natural diamonds or lab-grown diamond alternatives. Understanding the influence of these factors will help you determine the best option for your simulation budget.diamond jewelry. Cushion cut versus emerald, different cuts have different influences on a diamond.
For carat size comparisons, it is easier to see the differences when using a diamond size chart. One way to gain a better understanding is to look at different shapes, such as a round cut diamond, and how they will appear visually at different carat sizes. Here is a helpful carat size chart to help you visualize how a diamond's shape and carat influence the appearance of its physical size.
| carat size: | 0,25ct | 0,50ct | 0,75ct | 1,0ct | 1,5ct | 2,0ct | 3,0ct | 4,0ct | 5,0ct |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redondo | 4,1mm | 5,1mm | 5,8mm | 6.4mm | 7.4mm | 8,1mm | 9.3mm | 10,2mm | 11 mm |
| Cushion | 4 × 3,5 mm | 5 × 4,5 mm | 6 × 5 mm | 6,5 × 55 mm | 7,5 × 6,5 mm | 8 × 7 mm | 9 × 8mm | 10 × 8,5 mm | 10.5×9mm |
| Princesa | 3,5mm | 4.4mm | 5mm | 5,5mm | 6.4mm | 7mm | 8mm | 9mm | 9,5mm |
| oval | 5 × 3 mm | 6 × 4 mm | 7,5 × 5,5 mm | 8 × 5,5mm | 9 × 6mm | 10,5 × 7 mm | 11,5 × 7,5 mm | 13 × 8,5 mm | 14 × 9,5mm |
| Esmeralda | 4.5 × 3mm | 5,5 × 4 mm | 6 × 4,5 mm | 6,5 × 5mm | 7,5 × 5,5 mm | 8,5 × 6mm | 9,5 × 7 mm | 10,5 × 7,5 mm | 11,5 × 8,5 mm |
| Radiant | 3.5 × 3mm | 5 × 4,5 mm | 5,5 × 5 mm | 6 × 5,5 mm | 7 × 6mm | 7,5 × 7 mm | 8,5 × 7,5 mm | 9,5 × 8,5 mm | 10×9mm |
| pera | 5,5 × 3,5 mm | 7 × 4,5 mm | 8 × 5mm | 8,5 × 5,5 mm | 10 × 6,5 mm | 10,5 × 7 mm | 12,5 × 8 mm | 13.5×9mm | 15 × 10 mm |
| Asher | 3,7mm | 4.4mm | 5mm | 5,5mm | 6.4mm | 7mm | 8,1mm | 9mm | 9,6mm |
| Marquise | 6,5 × 3,3 mm | 8,5 × 4 mm | 9,5 × 4,5 mm | 10,5 × 5 mm | 12 × 6mm | 13 × 6,5mm | 14 × 7 mm | 16 × 8 mm | 17 × 8,5 mm |
| trillions | 4.9mm | 6,1mm | 7mm | 7,7 mm | 8.9mm | 9,8mm | 11,2mm | 12.3mm | 13,2mm |
Although the carat is the standard unit of measurement, measuring the millimeter size of a diamond tells you its true physical size. This is important when considering cut and shape because as you can see from the diamond weight chart above, certain shapes will appear larger at equivalent carat weights. Specifically, oblong shapes, such as the emerald, oval, or pear, often appear larger than their round counterparts. When buying diamonds, carat weight and millimeter measurements can always be found on the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) diamond certificate.
Seeing charts like the one above is helpful in deciding whether you want a radiant cut diamond, an emerald cut diamond, a cushion cut diamond or an Asscher diamond.diamond cut.
Select a diamond size
Today, diamonds are often cut using special machines, which can help remove as many blemishes as possible. However, slight variations may be caused by inclusions or other natural factors within the diamond itself. The depth of the diamond can also affect its physical appearance from an upward view, as is typical of a setting. Working directly with a gemologist or other professional can help you ensure you get the correct diamond carat size, as these experts will know the ideal ratios for a specific shape. Most of the time you will find diamonds sold in certain cut weights or magic numbers as they are known in the industry. These weights occur at regular intervals, such as 0.25 carats, 0.50 carats, 0.75 carats, etc.
The cut grade of a diamond must also be considered. When a diamond is well cut, rated Very Good or Better, light reflects better off the top of the diamond, making it appear larger. A smaller diamond with a better cut grade may appear larger than a larger diamond with a low cut grade.
It is also essential to consider thediamond clarityand color when choosing the size of a diamond. Compromising these two factors in an effort to purchase a larger diamond may not be the best option, because a larger diamond will show color or clarity defects more prominently.
Carat Impact on Price
Once you've determined a diamond's cut, color, and clarity, you can easily use the carat weight to find the right diamond for your budget. In general, larger diamonds are much more expensive and valuable because they are discovered less frequently in nature than smaller ones. Despite popular belief, prices for natural diamonds increase exponentially as the carat weight of the diamond increases, rather than linearly. This means that a 1 carat diamond is always more valuable than two 0.5 carat diamonds, even if all 3 are of the same quality. Generally speaking, a natural diamond twice the weight will cost approximately four times as much as the smallest diamond.
buying tips
Buying a diamond can quickly become a significant investment. However, with a few tips, you can easily find your dream diamond ring that is still within your budget.
Buy Shy.Usually, the price of the diamond increases when it reaches a new cut weight. Buying just below these weights can provide considerable savings with very little visual difference, thanks to the exponential diamond pricing model. For example, selecting a 1.4 carat diamond over a 1.5 carat diamond will look almost the same in physical size, but the price can be drastically different.
Consider the depth.Diamonds that have less depth tend to have a greater extension, which means that their millimeter measurements are larger without adding carat weight. Finding these diamonds could mean your 0.75 carat diamondprincess cut diamondit looks more like a 1 carat at a lower cost.
Look at the graceful shapes.
Classic round diamonds and fancy diamond shapes are among the most popular options available and therefore tend to command higher prices due to market demand. Alternative options include emerald, cushion, princess, oval, radiant, pear, asscher, marquise, and trillion. Understanding the difference between each shape can also help you in your decision, like knowing the difference between emerald and radiant, for example.
Make small sacrifices.When it comes to clarity and color, choosing a diamond with a slightly lower grade will have minimal visual difference, but can save you a lot in terms of cost. In fact, a gemologist is probably the only person who will be able to see variation at the higher end of the spectrum.diamond color scale, with D, E, and F diamonds. These G, H, or I color grade diamonds may have slight yellow tones that can usually only be detected when next to a higher grade diamond. The same is true for degrees of clarity. Slightly Included (SI) diamonds have blemishes that can only be detected at 10x magnification, unlike Very Slightly Included (VS) or Very Slightly Included (VVS) Diamonds. VS and VVS are hard to see even for a trained professional at 10x magnification. These small tradeoffs can help you find areas to cut costs, while buying a beautiful diamond in the natural size you want.
Think about the size of the ring.Finally, consider what a diamond will look like on your bride-to-be's finger. A diamond may appear larger on a smaller finger than on a larger one. Also, the setting selected for the diamond can have an impact on how the size appears when worn on the finger.
Consider diamond alternatives.Today, there are a wide variety of options available in the fine jewelry market, in addition to diamonds mined from natural mines. The question,lab diamonds are real, can be answered by increasing your understanding of the different options. of simulatedlab grown diamondsTo other diamond alternatives like moissanite, each of these options has unique qualities when it comes to diamond size, clarity, color, and carat. In general, diamond alternatives are more affordable regardless of carat size: lab-grown diamonds can cost up to 30% less than mined diamonds, and options like Nexus Diamond alternatives will be up to 80% less than diamonds extracted. Even with these cost savings, it is still important to evaluate the other quality factors when evaluating an alternative diamond option.
Nexus Diamond alternatives are created using a proprietary formula designed to simulate the look, weight and wear of a natural diamond with perfect quality. Each of these diamonds will be completely colorless, IF graded and Ideal cut, in all carat sizes, ensuring a brilliant diamond at all price points.
Finding the perfect diamond for you
Whether you are shopping for an engagement ring or a ring in general, youUnderstanding how all of these factors work together to influence the appearance and price of your diamond will help you select the right stone size for you or your loved one. Whether you are considering an emerald shape, princess cut, or round brilliant cut, it is important to understand how the shape of the diamond can affect the carat of the diamond. By combining knowledge of your personal style and quality priorities with diamond karat chart expertise, you'll be well on your way to finding the perfect diamond for you!
Nodiamond nexus, you're sure to find the emerald-cut engagement ring, radiant-cut simulated diamond ring, or unique ring you're looking for, not only ethically made, but also reasonably priced.
*Diamond Nexus strives to provide valuable information while being clear and honest about our products. The Nexus Diamond™ alternative is a proprietary, lab-grown stone that most closely mimics the look, weight, and wear of a mined diamond of all simulants, with two exceptions: it's absolutely perfect in every way, and it costs significantly less . Price points and environmental facts expressed in this blog are taken from popular online retailers and may vary. Learn more about the environmental impact of mining by visiting our blog:Blog.