Guide to choosing the carat size for an engagement ring

Which carat weight for you

Depending on which area of the world you live in, the average carat weight of the diamond in an engagement ring can vary. But there seems to be a common popular average that can be witnessed in many countries alike, the 1.00 - 1.50ct size diamond.

It seems to be the perfect size for a diamond solitaire as it is not too big, not too small and suits all hand sizes. You may think that 1.00ct diamonds are highly priced, but the value does vary quite a bit depending on a couple of things. For instance, the shape influences the price considerably, a round diamond will always be the more expensive than a cushion or a princess with all other factors being equal. This is mainly because round diamonds have the highest sparkle and are the most popular.

Then you need to take into account the other 3C’s that were established by the GIA: cut, clarity and colour (carat being the fourth C). A perfect D colour and IF clarity diamond will be considerably more expensive than a G colour and VS2 clarity 1.00 carat stone, but if the cut is very good, a G VS2 will look very beautiful too. Therefore, depending on your budget, you can purchase the same size diamond and just choose different characteristics that would fit your budget better.

Alternatives: Halo, trilogy

Should a 1.00ct diamond not be possible for you, then we would recommend 2 other designs that will make the whole look optically bigger: The halo and the trilogy design.

The halo is perfect should you wish to still have the 1 centre stone style. Extra sparkle is added through a circle of smaller diamonds surrounding the centre stone, so even if the centre stone weighs just 0.50ct, the whole design will be just as stunning and brilliant.

The trilogy design can be an original alternative as instead of it being 1 stone that weighs 1 carat, you can have 3 smaller stones that total 1.00ct. Furthermore, the trilogy symbolises the past, present and future of your relationship which adds a romantic vibe to the design.

BAUNAT offers a fantastic collection of engagement rings with 1.00ct diamonds of all qualities. And should you prefer a halo or trilogy ring, BAUNAT has an extensive online catalogue of rings to choose from.