Does Carat Matter?

[Titan35]

I''m directing this question mainly to the ladies in this forum, but any guy who can give a helpful tip is welcome too. I''m still in the research phase, so not yet ready, but does Carat matter? Now of course, the bigger the carat the better, and I know that whatever I get, I have to watch my wallet. I''m actually more curious of what the general mentality is for a 1 carat diamond. Do girls normally think this is too small? I''ve been doing some online browsing & window shopping, and when you perfect the other 3C''s, it can get pretty expensive. I want to get my soon-to-be fiancee something nice and of good quality. So was thinking, perhaps a lesser cut/clarity and get a bigger carat, therefore a bigger rock. Please no smart remarks. I just want to have a general idea of what people think.

 

[choro72]

No, get the best cut you can afford.

 

[neatfreak]

First, welcome.

Second, there are hundreds of threads on this very topic of you want to do a search. LOTS of responses.

Third, most people on this forum would advise only getting what you can afford (i.e., can pay for in cash) and dropping the color/clarity to make sure you can go as big as you''d like. But NEVER compromising on cut-because cut is what will make the diamond sparkle like a disco ball or look like a ball of spit.

As for size...it totally depends on the girl and her social circle. But in the scheme of the US as a whole- a 1 ct. is well above average.

Hope that helps!

 

[kenny]

If you live in Russian hill San Francisco, North Shore Chicago or Manhattan New York 1 carat is small.

If you live in a rural area of the midwest or south 1 carat is huge.

If you make $250,000 a year 1 carat is small.
If you make $25,000 a year 1 carat is huge.

It's all relative.

 

[Elmorton]

Ditto to Choro. Think of this - you go to a concert and the band has a ton of members, thus a lot of sound (carat). But if the instruments aren''t tuned well (cut) it''s going to sound awful. If the lead singer has a gargly voice (clarity/color), it can drown out the fact that the background is great - or sometimes, it''s not a big deal because the size/tuning/playing of the overall band makes up for it.

I think you''ll find that most people here will tell you that the quality of cut is the #1 C to pay attention to. A lousy cut 1ct isn''t going to look like 1ct, whereas a well-cut, lower color, lower clarity .75 will face up brighter and bigger. But, it''s ALL about balance.

 

[D&T]

I would like to get the best cut possible because thats where it will outshine, outperform any larger carat weight poor cut diamond.

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 8/31/2009 4:06:30 PM
Author: D&T
I would like to get the best cut possible because thats where it will outshine, outperform any larger carat weight poor cut diamond.

Ditto this!

 

[lucyandroger]

Titan,

I think you''ll find that most people on a limited budget get the biggest diamond they can get while getting the best cut possible. You can compromise on color and clarity with very little visible difference in the stone if any at all. When you''re ready to seriously look for a diamond, you can post your budget over in Rocky Talky and lots of people will be happy to help you find a beautiful stone within your budget.

Also, it may be helpful for you to read some of the tutorials under the knowledge section of the site so that you can find the best compromise for you.

 

[Xedoc]

A big part of it depends on the woman. Obviously here, most care about brilliance and a high-quality cut above all, so that''ll be the focus of most comments. However, there are some out there who very strongly care more about size than cut, color, & clarity, especially when meeting certain minimum size requirements: .5ct, .75ct, 1ct, 1.5ct, 2ct, etc.

First, find out what size she''s comfortable having friends/family know about. Many women don''t care at all about the size and just care about the beauty of the diamond, but that''s not all women. Once you isolate the minimum required size she''ll be happy with, focus on cut, even if you have to have a worse color & clarity than you originally expected to fit the budget. Chances are you''ll (and she''ll) still love the diamond. I''ve seen plenty of H-J diamonds that look fantastic on a finger, but you''d never know the color until compared side-by-side with a D/E/F diamond, and even then it''s not strongly noticeable. Clarity is more hit-or-miss. There are plenty of SI2 diamonds that hide inclusions well, especially with a great cut and prong placement.

For emerald & asscher diamonds, I value color & clarity a bit higher than usual because the larger facets tend to show yellow color and flaws easier, but I still don''t value color & clarity as highly as cut & carats.

Also, symmetry is a big deal to me too.. again, especially for the larger-facet diamonds of emerald & asscher styles (and all larger carat diamonds as well).

In general, I look for cut > carat >> color > clarity. Those women who care strongly about size.. it''s carat >>> cut >> color > clarity. I try for as good of cut as possible, while keeping to G/H or better color and VS2 or better clarity. For I/J & SI1/SI2 diamonds, I''ll want to see it in person next to a better color/clarity great-cut diamond just to get an idea for the bang/buck difference. Don''t forget the other factors: length/width ratio, fluorescence, symmetry & polish, girdle, culet, etc. They all affect the overall look of the diamond.

 

[Kaleigh]

Buy the best cut stone you can afford.

 

[vespergirl]

Date: 8/31/2009 4:02:32 PM
Author: kenny
If you live in Russian hill San Francisco, North Shore Chicago or Manhattan New York 1 carat is small.

If you live in a rural area of the midwest or south 1 carat is huge.

If you make $250,000 a year 1 carat is small.
If you make $25,000 a year 1 carat is huge.

It''s all relative.

Ditto this - it really depends on your area, profession, what peers have, etc. In my area, 1 ct is respectable, but my friends and I all got married in our late 20s/30s to established, financially stable guys in their 30s and 40s, so our diamond sizes average around 1.5 - 2.5 cts. Our husbands earn salaries in the six figure range, so no one went into debt to buy a ring.

I was engaged before I met my husband in my mid 20s with a 1 ct diamond, and it was gorgeous, classic, and a great size for someone at that stage in life, in our area (I live in the Washington DC metro area - higher salaries than most of the rest of the country).

In a nutshell, I don''t think that you can go wrong with a 1 ct ring. It''s a great size. However, if all of her friends have 2 or 3 ct rings, and you think that she wants something closer to what her friends have, I think that dropping clarity and color can still get you a gorgeous ring, and maybe a little bigger if you think that''s what she wants. I also have to say that unless she''s a Pricescope devotee, she may not care about a super-ideal hearts & arrows cut stone. She may be fine with a stone that''s still a premium cut, but maybe slightly less than ideal. Also, most other shapes are much less expensive than a round stone. You can get a princess, radiant, oval, pear or marquise for less than a round brilliant, and the elongated shapes tend to face up bigger as well.

When most people see an engagement diamond, the first question is, "how big is it?" Most people aren''t even familiar with cut quality. Unless super-ideal cut is important to her, she may rather have a bigger stone.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

I think it depends a lot on the girl.

Some think carat is king, and would happily take a lower cut, clarity or color to get a big old rock. Others would prefer a smaller stone with better overall specs. It really depends.

Many people here are big fans of lowering color, or clarity to get a bigger diamond with an excellent cut (since cut is what makes it sparkle). I tend to agree. Unless you super color sensitive...telling F from H isn''t easy....and unless it has a big old black inclusion, an SI isn''t easily noticable.

 

[Tuckins1]

I would go for the best cut first, then clarity, size, then color. And no, I don''t think 1 ct is too small... Mine is .70 ct and I adore it!! It''s just right!

 

[atroop711]

Date: 8/31/2009 4:02:32 PM
Author: kenny
If you live in Russian hill San Francisco, North Shore Chicago or Manhattan New York 1 carat is small.


If you live in a rural area of the midwest or south 1 carat is huge.


If you make $250,000 a year 1 carat is small.

If you make $25,000 a year 1 carat is huge.


It''s all relative.

YUP...

for my FAT fingers...1 ct is small but just doll that baby up with a HALO and it will give some nice finger coverage to those of us with flintstone fingers

 

[swingirl]

When you are ready (or before just for fun) post your budget and see what the PS regulars come up with. You may be surprised what they find and you''ll have a better idea about what you are willing to give up; size, color, cut, etc.

 

[Black Jade]

No offense to anyone is intended, but Titan might like to know that those who like bigger diamonds tend to be the more vocal members on the board.
But that''s not all of us. Titan might like to take a look at what''s actually the biggest thread on PS, the "under 1 ct" thread. He''ll find many beautiful rings and many ladies who are highly satisfied with them.
For the record, my husband makes very close to the larger salary cited--and I love my original .33 carat solitaire engagement ring much too much to ever want to ''upgrade''. When he decided to give me a special 25th anniversary present last year, I got a .65 which I also love (and wear on the other hand). He did get me larger earrings later last year, as a surprise birthday gift. But I had no desire in my heart to be wearing a carat. For the record, if I had wanted to, I could have taken the money he gave me for the birthday gift (unasked for) and gotten anything I wanted--it would have a bought a quality ring in the 1.50-1.75 solitaire range. But I didn''t want to.
Some of us really have no desire for a carat on our fingers, in short. You should check with your lady to find out if she does. On the other hand, if in this current economic environment, you need to be spend your $$$ on something else (house down payment, $401K, whatever) and you just simply can''t afford a carat, that''s okay too. I wanted to marry my husband and to be given some sort of engagement ring--I didn''t have any expectations as a particular size or style or cost and there are other girls out there like that (see the thread cited above).
No offense to anyone who does like a bigger ring, of course, and whose fiance can happily afford it.

 

[Haven]

Black Jade--I agree with you that many women prefer smaller stones. But I don''t think that''s being misrepresented here, it looks like most people advised the OP to buy the best cut available, not the biggest stone. And I agree with that, too.

 

[cindygenit]

It really doesn''t.

A girl will be thrilled enough that her boyfriends wants to spend the rest of his life with her.

 

[musey]

Date: 8/31/2009 4:02:30 PM
Author: neatfreak
First, welcome.

Second, there are hundreds of threads on this very topic of you want to do a search. LOTS of responses.

Third, most people on this forum would advise only getting what you can afford (i.e., can pay for in cash) and dropping the color/clarity to make sure you can go as big as you'd like. But NEVER compromising on cut-because cut is what will make the diamond sparkle like a disco ball or look like a ball of spit.

As for size...it totally depends on the girl and her social circle. But in the scheme of the US as a whole- a 1 ct. is well above average.

Hope that helps!

Big, fat DITTO to NF!

I love diamonds of all shapes and sizes. When it comes to size, what is most important to me is the balance of center stone and setting. It's about creating a beautiful piece, and it doesn't matter if the center stone is .1ct or 10cts. At least for me

 

[AprilBaby]

Cut is king. I agree with the posters above...what is most common in the area you live? How big is her finger??? The other 3 don''t need to be perfect. Color is subjective. So is clarity. I won''t go below Si1. (eye clean always!)

 

[Black Jade]

Date: 8/31/2009 8:08:40 PM
Author: Haven
Black Jade--I agree with you that many women prefer smaller stones. But I don''t think that''s being misrepresented here, it looks like most people advised the OP to buy the best cut available, not the biggest stone. And I agree with that, too.

Didn''t mean to imply that people were saying to buy the biggest stone.
Sorry if I have offended--it was not meant.

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 8/31/2009 4:02:30 PM
Author: neatfreak
First, welcome.

Second, there are hundreds of threads on this very topic of you want to do a search. LOTS of responses.

Third, most people on this forum would advise only getting what you can afford (i.e., can pay for in cash) and dropping the color/clarity to make sure you can go as big as you''d like. But NEVER compromising on cut-because cut is what will make the diamond sparkle like a disco ball or look like a ball of spit.

As for size...it totally depends on the girl and her social circle. But in the scheme of the US as a whole- a 1 ct. is well above average.

Hope that helps!

Absolutely ditto that!

And I would also like to add that I am a shamless size girl (I''d wear a 10+ carater if I could afford it!) but I refuse to compromise BEAUTY for mere size. A huge ball of frozen spit doesn''t tempt me ONE BIT!

So size without a good cut is just that... size. What makes a diamond beautiful is its CUT.

 

[Lynn B]

ALSO, if you find that you really can''t afford the *size* you think you''d like to buy, there are lots of settings that really maximize a diamond''s face-up appearance. Halos and bezels can really add *oomph* and are very beautiful!

AND, most PS vendors have wonderful trade-up policies... so you can buy what you can afford now and trade up in the future, if you want to.

Oh, stay with US, babeeee. we are just ***FULL*** of ideas!!!

 

[Haven]

Date: 8/31/2009 9:34:37 PM
Author: Black Jade

Date: 8/31/2009 8:08:40 PM
Author: Haven
Black Jade--I agree with you that many women prefer smaller stones. But I don''t think that''s being misrepresented here, it looks like most people advised the OP to buy the best cut available, not the biggest stone. And I agree with that, too.

Didn''t mean to imply that people were saying to buy the biggest stone.

Sorry if I have offended--it was not meant.

No offense taken at all! I misunderstood your first response, and I''m sorry for that.

OP--For what it''s worth, I tend to think that some women are more sentimental about their engagement ring, and others are more into the bling factor of the ring. I *very much* wanted to wear either my mother''s (.7 ct) or my grandmother''s (pearl and two small OMCs) engagement ring as my own, but neither offered up their rings to my husband, so that didn''t work out. My husband ended up buying me a beautiful 2 ct engagement ring, which I LOVE, but I would have loved a family stone just as much. I guess what I''m trying to say is that I would have been just as happy with a small family heirloom stone as I am with my 2 ct ring.

 

[Kaleigh]

To the OP:

What does your GF want?? What can you afford?? What do her friends wear?? Answer those questions and you have your answer. Asking us, is fine... But then we don''t really know all the particulars... Best of luck!!

 

[CNOS128]

Yes, I think the answer changes depending on where you live, what you/GF do for a living, how old you are, what kind of hobbies you might have, what your personal preferences are, etc. It would certainly be helpful to ask your GF, or at least her closest friends, if they know what she might like! Good luck!

 

[Laila619]

Well, the bigger the better IMO.

 

[Black Jade]

Date: 8/31/2009 10:01:35 PM
Author: Haven

Date: 8/31/2009 9:34:37 PM
Author: Black Jade

Date: 8/31/2009 8:08:40 PM
Author: Haven
Black Jade--I agree with you that many women prefer smaller stones. But I don''t think that''s being misrepresented here, it looks like most people advised the OP to buy the best cut available, not the biggest stone. And I agree with that, too.

Didn''t mean to imply that people were saying to buy the biggest stone.

Sorry if I have offended--it was not meant.

No offense taken at all! I misunderstood your first response, and I''m sorry for that.

OP--For what it''s worth, I tend to think that some women are more sentimental about their engagement ring, and others are more into the bling factor of the ring. I *very much* wanted to wear either my mother''s (.7 ct) or my grandmother''s (pearl and two small OMCs) engagement ring as my own, but neither offered up their rings to my husband, so that didn''t work out. My husband ended up buying me a beautiful 2 ct engagement ring, which I LOVE, but I would have loved a family stone just as much. I guess what I''m trying to say is that I would have been just as happy with a small family heirloom stone as I am with my 2 ct ring.

We sound a lot alike.
I would have loved a family heirloom more than anything but unfortunately my grandmother''s ring was lost and my mother''s was stolen.
I recently got a ring that looks exactly like my grandmothers, a .25 transitional between OMC and OEC in platinum and find I am wearing it ALL the time, though its really very small (smaller than my grandmother''s actually).
Big rocks actually do not suit my fingers--or at least I think they don''t suit my fingers. Maybe because of years of thinking that my .33 (my much-loved original that I wear every day) is the perfect size?
there are some of us out there. There''s another thread going on right now where the guy is buying a Tiffany ring, and price is not the object, and has not put any size limitation on it and his fiancee keeps coming back to the 1/2 carat size, which she prefers over the larger sizes.
I have one good friend whose husband upgraded her--and who never wears her new ring. I''ve seen it on her once or twice in three years. On the other hand, she won''t take off her earrings (he changed her original .40 or so into half of a pair of earrings and gave her a new ring with a 1.50 carat in it).
So I guess the OP really has to scope out his particular girlfriend for her preferences.
My original post was just saying that a person could, not from this particular thread, but from Pricescope in general, get the impression that all women love bigger rings (given that they are good quality, of course) and its just not true IRL. Again, I am not knocking those who love big rings. Just saying that they tend to be more of the posters, or more noticeable or something and it could give a skewed impression to someone who was not familiar with the site for a long time (which I do not think is a site that pushes size over quality or I would not stay on it). I also very much agree with someone--I forget if it was on this thread or another, who observed that upgrades are not very common IRL.

 

[ckrickett]

Carat is nice but it''s all about the CUT!

 

[Titan35]

Date: 8/31/2009 6:38:35 PM
Author: swingirl
When you are ready (or before just for fun) post your budget and see what the PS regulars come up with. You may be surprised what they find and you''ll have a better idea about what you are willing to give up; size, color, cut, etc.

Ok I will do that. sounds like a plan!