CARAT
Diamonds are sold by carat denoted as ‘ct’, which is actually a unit of weight. A diamond’s cut impacts how large the Carat Weight will appear. Smaller carat weight diamonds will appear larger with higher cut grades (Very Good and Ideal). Two diamonds of equal carat weight can have different costs based on other factor such as cut, colour, and clarity. Carat weight consisted of two factors which are:
- Diamond’s top diameter: important to measure in millimetre, the distance across the top (diameter) of the diamond as it views when set into a ring
- Diamond’s cut grade: cut grade should be consider when diamond is well cut (grades Very Good or higher) and the light reflected out of the top making it appear larger
The diamond prices jump at the full and half carat weights. Any diamonds below weight cost significant less as carat weight is distributed across the entirety of the diamond, small sixe differences are almost impossible to detect.
Maximise your budget consider buying a diamond that is slightly below your ideal carat weight. A diamond with a good cut, SI1 – SI2 clarity and I or J colour grade would be a better choice.
