When choosing your diamond, how many Carats should you be looking for? And how much does it matter? There’s more to finding a showstopper than just Carat weight alone.
When it comes to selecting the Carat weight for your diamond engagement ring, there are many elements to consider that compliment and elevate both 1 and 2 Carat Diamonds – it all depends on what you are looking for. The more you know about carat weight and how it interrelates with the remaining of the Four Cs – Colour, Clarity and Cut, the more empowered you are to truly explore your options and find a perfect stone to match your vision!
First things first – what exactly is a diamond Carat? Carat, or CT, is the weight of a diamond. One Carat, or 1CT, is 200 milligrams. This is divided into ‘100’ points, to allow stones to be precisely weighed to the hundredth decimal place. A stone that weighs .70 Carats is referred to as a ‘70 pointer’. Diamonds that weigh over 1 Carat are referred to in both Carats and decimals; a diamond weighing 1.25 Carats is expressed as ‘one point two five Carats’.
There’s no such thing as the ‘best’ amount of Carat – what really matters is how much sparkle you’d like on your finger, your preferred style, and your budget.
For some of us, having a brilliant showstopper is what it’s all about, for others, it’s brilliance and sparkle in an elegant setting. Whichever you desire, there are many ways of getting the most from your diamond, whether it is 1 Carat or 2.
The difference between a 1 Carat and 2 Carat diamond is purely weight – 200 milligrams to be precise. It’s important to remember that a diamond of greater Carat weight will not possess more brightness, colour, or clarity than a smaller diamond of the same quality.
So, a 2 Carat diamond will weigh more than a 1 Carat diamond, but will it look bigger? Well, that all depends on the cut.
Often regarded as the most important of all the 4Cs, Cut is the greatest complimentary element that will elevate and emphasise the appearance of your stone. The Cut of a diamond is all about angles. As the size of a diamond is most often judged by how it looks from the top, or ‘face-up’, the style of a Cut’s angles is what affects the diameter and dimensions of your stone. In other words, the Cut is what makes your stone appear more ample in size.
Diamond Cuts are either round-cut, or fancy cut. Fancy cut diamonds include Emerald, Princess, Oval, Pear, Marquise, Heart and Asscher. The fancy cut diamonds often appear larger than Round Cut diamonds; both Emerald and Princess Cut diamonds will appear bigger due to their elongated shapes. Below, we explore some of the most popular shapes for diamond engagement rings and how they elevate and complement both 1 and 2 Carats.
Because a 1 Carat diamond will not necessarily appear half the size of a 2 Carat diamond, it is best to use diameter measurement as an indicator of size. Below are the diameter measurements for each Cut, where you can see that the diameter of a 2 Carat diamond is not double that of a 1 Carat diamond.
Emerald Cut suits both 1 and 2 Carat diamonds. The Emerald Cut is a type of ‘step cut’ – rectangular facets that ascend from the crown of the diamond, creating a complex and elegant ‘hall of mirrors’ type effect. A rarer diamond shape, their elongated style is highly flattering on the finger.
The sophisticated Emerald Cut is complimentary stones of varying Carat weight. As this Cut has larger face-up surface, slimmer stones of lesser Carat are more than suitable. So, while an Emerald Cut 2 Carat Diamond Engagement Ring will be a showstopper, an Emerald Cut 1 Carat Diamond Engagement Ring will also look mesmerising.
Diameter*
Emerald Cut 1 Carat Diamond: 7mm
Emerald Cut 2 Carat Diamond: 8.5mm
Princess Cut diamond engagement rings are the second most popular choice for brides and suit multiple setting styles. This brilliant square-shaped Cut has a versatile edge when compared to other shapes.
While the Princess Cut has a slightly smaller face-up size when compared to the Emerald Cut, they do have a longer diagonal measurement, giving the visual impression of a much larger stone. Learn more about Diamondport’s Princess Cut Diamond Engagement Rings here.
Diameter*
Princess Cut 1 Carat Diamond: 5.5mm
Princess Cut 2 Carat Diamond: 7mm
The Round Cut diamond has long been a favourite for engagement rings, and it doesn’t look like the trend is going to change any time soon. The Round Cut has been engineered with 58 facets to make the most of the diamond’s natural sparkle, sending light from the bottom of the stone and into the crown. Even if the Round Cut diamond doesn’t appear as large as other Cuts, the brilliance of this style more than makes up for it.
Diameter*
Round Cut 1 Carat Diamond: 6.5mm
Round Cut 2 Carat Diamond: 8.2mm
The right setting should draw attention to the star of the show – your diamond. Prong settings usually involve 4 – 6 prongs that hold your diamond in place. This setting also allows light to pass through your diamond from its base, or the ‘Culet’, and makes its way through to the surface – the ‘tabletop’ and ‘crown’ of your diamond, creating unequalled brilliance and sparkle. Prong settings also elevate – quite literally, the diamond from the band, giving the stone prominence on your finger. Alongside an exquisite Cut, a sophisticated Prong Setting can make all the difference.
The most classic of the claw settings, this airy arrangement exposes the sides of your diamond to light, ensuring your diamond is getting every chance to reflect light throughout its facets. This setting also enables the stone to be thoroughly cleaned, another factor that ensures shine and sparkle.
When compared to a Rounded Claw, Pointed Claw settings cover less of a diamond’s outline, making the shape of the Cut more prominent, while the slender pointed claws hold firmly to the face of the stone, keeping your precious diamond secure.
Both Pointed and Rounded Claw settings can elevate and increase the natural beauty of 1 Carat diamond rings, particularly 1 Carat solitaire diamond ring designs.
This detailed, feminine setting is one of the most durable of the prong settings. The diamond is nestled in a basket, and while this does mean less light can enter the stone, the sides of the stone are protected from potential damage. This setting also highlights the surface area of the diamond, making it a stunning choice for halo and Emerald Cut 2 Carat diamond rings.
The overall value of a diamond is determined by its quality across all the Four 4Cs, and not one single element. However, it is often the case that the larger the diamond, the larger the price tag. Simply put, this is because it is more difficult to grow or find large raw diamonds in the earth. Combine this rarity with the other elements that come into play – consistent quality across the remaining 3C’s, it is easy to see how cost increases with Carat.
A high quality 1 Carat round brilliant cut natural diamond will generally cost between $12,000-$22,000 AUD depending on the Cut, Colour and Clarity.
A 2 Carat round brilliant cut natural diamond of similar quality will cost anywhere from $35,000 AUD and beyond.
Lab Grown diamonds have changed the game markedly since their arrival on the market. These beautiful stones have given consumers the ability to purchase their ideal stone without being encumbered by the price tag that comes with natural diamonds.
Lab Grown diamonds are grown in lab conditions that mimic the process that occurs deep in the earth’s crust, and are true diamonds in every sense. While price reflects a diamond’s quality across all the 4Cs, the cost of a 2 Carat Lab Grown Diamond will be significantly less than that of its natural counterpart.
Which Is Best For You?
While 1 Carat diamond engagement rings are the most popular choice, don’t let the crowd guide your selection if your heart is set on a 2 Carat diamond.
The emergence of striking Lab Grown stones, the visual versatility provided by a variety of Cuts, and the added emphasis of a sophisticated setting, allow you to design an engagement ring that reflects your highly personal vision for the piece that will be worn for years to come.
All diamonds possess their own striking beauty, and at Diamondport, we pride ourselves on having an exquisite range of high-quality stones for you to choose from that suit your style, preference, and budget. Book a private consultation today to view our collection of high quality diamonds, discuss our bespoke design services, or view our elegant engagement rings, with styles to suit every taste.
*indicative only. The actual diameter varies from diamond to diamond
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