While you are checking out the cost of different diamond jewelry online, you will notice that prices differ greatly from one retailer to the other, or even between two pieces of jewelry that are seemingly the same. The price of diamonds is greatly influenced by the quality of the stone. Namely, the cost is highly influenced by the 4C’s of the diamond: cut, color, clarity and carat. The higher the value/quality of the diamond on the scale of any of the 4C’s, the more expensive it will be.  

Price range for 1 carat diamonds

When it comes to buying a diamond engagement ring for example, the 1 carat is the most popular option. At one carat weight the diamond is reflecting much more brilliance and sparkle than a 0.70 carat piece of jewelry. The 1 carat diamond also seems to be the one most budget friendly weight option for most buyers.

Generally, a 1 carat diamond will start at about $3,000 but it can go even up to $27,000 or more. As it has been earlier noted this price difference is highly dependent on the qualities of the stone. A poorer cut, lower clarity diamond will cost much less per carat than a diamond that carries the FL (Flawless) clarity grading. When a diamond is poorly cut, this will not give its best brilliance and sparkle. Exactly this is why a poorly cut diamond will cost less per carat than a perfectly cut stone.

The same size and clarity diamond can actually have great differences in price. For example, a poor cut SI1-G graded diamond (with small inclusions) can cost $4,000 per carat, but the same diamond with a perfectly executed cut may cost even $10,000. As you can easily note, the cutting technique of the diamond is indeed a differentiating factor when it comes to the price.

Important Buying Tip

If you cannot afford a 1 carat diamond (such as a solitaire engagement ring), you should not buy lower quality just to fit the budget. Instead, experts recommend you should look at rings that are set with 3 smaller carat diamonds of good quality because you will get maximum sparkle and fire, and buy it cheaper than one 1 carat solitaire.

You just need to invest quality time into research and you will eventually find beautiful engagement rings that are less usual, but still featuring diamond paving. They might not be set with the large 1 carat solitaire, but they will shine bright just like one (for less!) if you choose a pavement setting with smaller diamonds.