Understanding the Role of Gemstone Carat in Engagement Rings

In the jewellery industry, one of the most used words is “Carat” and do you have a clear idea about actually what this carat refers to? If you are going to purchase a gemstone jewellery piece then nothing is more important than knowing the real means of a carat. More often in verbal communication carat is misunderstood as the same spell comes for the karat as well. So it is always better to distinguish between these two confusing words. The word carat always comes with gemstones and keep in mind that carat is always referred to the gemstone weight, not to the size of it. So the general abbreviation for carat is ct. Though the word carat is very much familiar I don’t think you are knowing the interesting story behind the origin of this word. Have you ever heard of the carob tree? It is a tree of the pea family which is a flowering evergreen tree. Each Carob seed had a uniform weight and therefore before units of mass were invented these seeds were used as a standard for weighing small quantities. Approximately each carob seed weight is equal to 0.20 grams or 200 milligrams and diamond traders used them to compare the weight of diamonds. So in the year, 1570 carat was defined as a standard measure of the weight of precious stones. The word karat is used for "proportion of fine gold in an alloy" and we will discuss it in a later blog post. You may have one more issue related to carat; that’s why we use carat instead of grams? The answer in short and sweet; because diamonds are usually small the carat units are used instead of grams as it equals  0.2grams.I hope everything is clear up to now and therefore let’s go dig a little bit complex point. 

Size weight proportions of a diamond and how does the diamond shape and cut effect to these properties?

In diamonds, the size is the face-up size or simply what you see when a diamond is mounted in a setting. So you many people misunderstood that high carat weight diamonds are always larger. But that’s not true as sometimes 0.96-carat diamond is larger than a 1.00-carat diamond. So when you need to check the appearance the most important feature to look in the diamond is the ‘mm’ measurements of a diamond to understand the diamond size. But when you purchasing a diamond you should look into both properties carat weight and size. Because if you are buying a perfectly cut diamond then they are having standard face-up size defined in millimetre for each carat weight. If that pre-defined weight size proportion is not featured in the diamond the diamond cut is poor. Generally, diamonds are the price for their weight, not the size. So diamond cutters always tend to commit the cut over the carat weight. For diamonds it should look it’s the standard size for the weight otherwise you are paying for the weight which couldn’t see in your diamond. For example, if you consider a round cut diamond the 1-carat diamond face-up size should be 6.5mm exactly. But never misunderstand that the, if a diamond is twice as weight as another diamond, doesn’t indicate that it is twice larger as other. Because if you compare 1-carat diamond and 2-carat diamond you’ll see the 2-carat diamond is only 8.0, not 13.0 (6.5 ×2).Getting a lower or higher size means your cut is imperfect and it results in a duller, less brilliant, less beautiful diamond. For the better understanding below I have mentioned the faceup sizes for the round cut diamonds carat weight.

So here you see I have specially mentioned that the sizes for round cut diamonds the reason is the faceup size for each diamond carat weight is different from one shape to another and also it could slightly differ from the cut as well. As we have discussed diamond weight and size I think it is better to have a slight understanding of diamond density as well. The gemstone density differs from one gemstone to another. Understanding this density concept is more important when it comes to coloured gemstones because they vary greatly by density. For example, if you compare 1carat sapphire with a 1-carat diamond it is sapphire is significantly smaller. But when it comes to a gemstone like an opal it is larger.

Standard sizes of 1 carat diamonds for different shapes

When it comes to diamond shapes round cut diamonds are the most significant high demanded diamond shape in the industry. All other shapes refer to fancy diamond shapes and their width and length are not equals. So here I am presenting the surface measurements instead of the size for each diamond shape. If you carefully observe the below sizes table will indicate the approximate table surface for each diamond shape. If you are looking for a large surface and appearance from your diamond then you’ll see that you have to go with marquise diamond shape.

Does a Larger Carat Diamond Necessarily Look better on your finger?

Diamonds are more popular for rings specially for engagement rings. So from the consumers perspective, it is always important how does your diamond appear on your finger. Most of the time the diamond chosen for the perfect length to width ratios for fancy shapes are up to personal tastes. Every lady have her own dream diamond engagement ring in her mind and the shapes and cut preference may vary from one to another, but what about the size? For all of the ladies, it is pretty universal the size of the diamond is always on the larger side. Because some customers tend to think that the bigger diamond the more radiant it will be. However, when purchasing a diamond ring it is much important to be aware of the appearance compared to the size of the finger. THat’s why it is always better pre-visualize how the ring would appear on your hand. If the wearer has thick fingers then small diamond rings would look disproportionate. So what would be the best carat weight fits my finger never have an exact answer. Because it is hard as personal tastes and preferences always vary.

Generally speaking, if you consider a 1-carat diamond and assume your finger is approximately 17mm, then your diamond is able to cover 38.2% of the width of the finger. As it is a fairly great size of diamond for those who are serious about purchasing a diamond there is a big demand on the round cut 1-carat diamond rings compared to others. As diamond carats are often measured in increments of 0.25 if you feel a bit smaller on your diamond size could go for a diamond which is 0.25 weight than it.

Can the Ring Design Make the diamond looks Bigger?

See how same size diamond look differ depend on it's cut, setting and band design

There is a special designer secret that every consumer should know; the design could affect significantly to maximize the appearance of your diamond. So you could go for a diamond carat weight that is affordable for your budget and still could give it a bigger appearance by perfect design. If you have explored the diamond ring collection of Brilliyond then you may not doubt this fact. As you can see how to extend our designers were able to present a diamond with a bigger appeal together with a swirl design. So take a minute to have a look at Brilliyond’s diamond ring collection before you dig into this concept.

Wise selection on the cut, shape, setting and the band design could result in an extraordinary diamond ring which appears more expensive and bigger than it is. One tricky technique to maximize the appeal of a diamond is used more discrete prongs rather than letting prongs to cover the diamond surface. Also, consider the fancy diamond shapes other than round. Though round is the more common shape it is the most expensive shape as well. You could afford a bigger appeal diamond for a less price if you select an oval or marquise shape. If your ring shank or the band having more width then it will decrease the appearance of the diamond so choose a slim band for your diamond ring setting. Then what about the metal tone? Imagine what happens if you put hundreds of mirrors ina room, it makes a room look bigger same way extremely shining platinum and white gold like metal tones could make the look of your diamond appear bigger. Another tricky point is using a halo setting as it can add an extra size to your diamond. We’ll discuss these settings descriptively in the next paragraph. So it is no surprise that the diamond carat weight is not the only concern when buying a diamond ring with a big appearance. An expert designer could present a diamond ring which looks more impressive and stunning.

Is it Possible to get a Bigger Ring Setting by using Halo and cluster Designs?

Choosing the right ring setting is very important to the appearance of your ring. The ring 9g. nesting simply refers to the way that the diamond or precious stones are held in a ring. As there are numerous ways of setting a diamond each of them has different advantages and disadvantages which affect the final look and style of your diamond ring. The most popular halo setting is considering smaller diamonds positioned around the centre stone and it will add a dramatic touch to the ring as well as make it appear bigger. It can also be a cost-efficient way to add more sparkle and make a smaller centre stone appear larger. Another setting that allows for a bigger appeal diamond ring is using cluster diamond setting. In this design, several small diamonds of similar size placed next to each other. It allows to maximizes sparkle and gives the illusion of a single diamond. So choosing between the halo and cluster diamond setting allows you to achieve a perfect appeal diamond engagement ring for an affordable price compared to the same total weight single diamond engagement ring.

The small diamond halo added pretty much sparkle to the centre diamond and ultimately present a perfect diamond ring. The significant price difference between a 1-carat diamond and a diamond is slightly less than 1 carat. Generally, the average size for a diamond is 1 carat. But due to the budget constraints, you may not be able to achieve it. Let me explain to you how to get the look and value without the exact cost. As 1-carat diamond is expensive why not consider purchasing a 0.90-carat diamond which is just 0.1 carats below the 1-carat mark. If you place these two-carat weight diamonds next to another you won’t be able to tell the difference. I consider physical dimensions, they are only 0.2 mm apart but this invisible slight difference will save you hundreds of dollars. For example, a 1-carat diamond will cost $6,000 and at the same time, you could buy a diamond weighing 0.90-0.95 carat for $4,000.In diamond carat weight we called magic numbers are every 0.5 carats. So I think it is always better to go with something you can afford rather than going for future debt. So if budget is a concern try to find a diamond below a magic number and then you could purchase a diamond for as much as 25% less.

You should be wise when shopping for a diamond ring especially if you are in a tight budget

We have talked a lot about the carat weight and numerous related factors when choosing a perfect diamond for your ring. Now you know that stone shape and cut have considerable a big impact on whether a stone looks true to its carat weight. Follow the tips and tricks which help to enhance the appearance of your diamond when choosing a diamond ring design. So when When picking out a diamond ring, one of your biggest decisions you should care is from where you gonna buy it as the quality and the appearance of the ring could vary from each designer. We are proud and glad to let you know that for the past years Brilliyond has done thousands of diamond ring deals with Australian consumers and have gained perfect feedback and review for the outstanding designs and the perfect worth of each ring we sold. we are pretty sure our stunning diamond rings will impress as they are both extraordinary unique designs and always worth the money you spend.