While buying high priced items like a 1 carat diamond ring, it is important for you to ensure that you are getting the maximum value for the money that you are spending. You need to consider many factors to find an extraordinary 1 carat ring that falls into your budget. In fact, you will be able to find a wide variety of 1 carat diamond rings on both local stores and online markets. However, there are not only differences in quality and beauty among these diamonds; there are also differences in their prices.
You need to understand that a higher price does not always ensure that the diamond is a better one. Below are a few tips that would help you in buying the right diamond for your needs.
1 Carat Diamond Pricing
The term “carat” in respect to a diamond refers to the weight of the stone. One carat equals to 200 milligrams (0.2 grams). Simply put, a 1 carat diamond weighs almost the same as a quarter of a raisin. When it comes to the pricing, you need to understand all the diamonds are priced as per the carat value. For instance, a 0.50 carat diamond might have a price of 1,400 dollars per carat. So the price for the stone would be 700 dollars.
Moreover, the price per carat for diamonds increase with weight. The price of diamonds increases exponentially with weight due to the higher value and higher price per carat for the increase in weight. For instance, the price of a 1 carat diamond can be 4,500 dollars per carat and that of a similar 2 carat diamond can be 7,800 dollars per carat. So while shopping for diamonds, you need to keep in mind that they are retail products that are driven by emotion more than reason.
It might look advantageous to you to choose a diamond that is just a shy below 1 carat, like a 0.9 carat diamond. However, in reality, that is not the case. There are many buyers looking for a 1 carat ring and this further increases the demand and price of these diamonds, providing only minimal savings. You might search for a 0.9 carat diamond to get some savings, but in doing so, you will be limiting your search potential to a small bunch of products. The price of diamonds is often subjective, as with diamonds, it is all about emotion and feelings.
Differences between Diamond Size and Carat
Carat specifically refers to the weight of the diamond and does not denote the depth, table surface area, or other features of the shape. This means that a larger carat diamond does not necessarily mean a bigger sized diamond. The size of the diamond affects the visual appeal of the same. For instance, a marquise cut diamond can appear larger than a round brilliant cut diamond of the same carat value. This is due to the elongated shape of the marquise cut.
Components like depth and surface area play major roles in the size of the diamond. Therefore, two diamonds in the same carat range can appear totally different in their sizes due to the differences in cut quality and shape.
Clarity Rating for 1 Carat Diamond Rings
While considering the 4 C’s of a 1 carat diamond, a major area to take into account is clarity. This is the factor, which dictates the number of inclusions, extra facets, and presence of surface defects in the diamond. You might ask for help or review the clarity of the diamond yourself. Keep in mind that what the naked eye can see is more important than anything that is mentioned on the diamond certification document. For example, a low clarity diamond that is eye clean can look identical to a diamond that is flawless, assuming that all the other parameters are equal.
The GIA scale of clarity for diamonds, however, ranges from best to worst in the following categories:
- Internally Flawless (IF)
- Very Very Slightly Included 1 (VVS1)
- Very Very Slightly Included 2 (VVS2)
- Very Slightly Included 1 (VS1)
- Very Slightly Included 2 (VS2)
- Slightly Included 1 (SI1)
- Slightly Included 2 (SI2)
- Included 1 (I1)
- Included 2 (I2)
It is generally recommended to go for VS2 clarity for a 1 carat diamond, as in this category, the blemishes will not be visible to the naked eye. Yet again, it might be easy for you to find a SI1 diamond with inclusions near to the edges, which might be covered by the prongs, and that would lead to more cost savings. If you are looking for the maximum clarity rating in a reasonable budget, you can go for the VVS2 range as well. Just make sure that the stone is eye-clean.
It might seem daunting sometimes to search for the perfect 1 carat diamond. However, with the help of the above guide, you will be able to find a stunning diamond at a very reasonable price.