FAQ Is there a chart that shows you the real size of a diamond ?

[Fancy]

I am looking for a chart that shows real sizes of a diamond by carat weight so you can compare. For example, a chart that shows the actual size of a one carat, two carat, three carat etc...?

 

[Lugus]

it's tough to do this because carat is weight, not size. Depending on the dimensions of a diamond a .7 could look larger than a .8. Also, computer monitor size/resolution will distort the results. The best way to determine size is to visit diamonds in person.

All that being said, I'll see if I can find a chart so you can see some comparative sizes.

 

[mike04456]

I've seen such charts, but they are all for "well-proportioned round brilliants." Not all RB's are well-proportioned, although if you stick to premium cuts, you would be in the ballpark. Even then, you should use such a reference only for general information, not specific stones.

 

[Fancy]

http://www.bakernbaker.com/caratweight.htm

http://www.diamondartdesigns.com/images/Carat-Weight.htm

http://www.justdiamonds.net/carat.htm

OK, found these... Is it just me, or are ALL of these different .. do any of you think one chart is more accurate than another?

 

[Rank Amateur]

Just remember that 1 ct ~ 6.50 mm.

You can't rely on how things appear on your screen as the relative size is entirely due to you monitor resolution. [/u]

 

[mike04456]

I would say none of them are reliable, because they use diamond images instead of actual measurements. There is no guarantee that the images will appear the same size on your screen as they did on the web designer's--and this is assuming that no one has monkeyed with them to make them look larger or smaller.

Here's one list using measurements that I found:

ct wt dia (mm)
0.100 3.0
0.110 3.1
0.125 3.2
0.140 3.3
0.150 3.4
0.160 3.5
0.170 3.6
0.180 3.7
0.200 3.8
0.250 4.1
0.500 5.2
1.000 6.5
1.500 7.4
2.000 8.2

 

[Lugus]

----------------
On 3/17/2003 4

1

0 PM Fancy wrote:
http://www.bakernbaker.com/caratweight.htm

http://www.diamondartdesigns.com/images/Carat-Weight.htm

http://www.justdiamonds.net/carat.htm

OK, found these... Is it just me, or are ALL of these different .. do any of you think one chart is more accurate than another?

----------------

They are all different and not one is accurate on my screen. And the whiteflash link was even more out of proportion. It was actually kind of funny.

As I said before, you really need to see diamonds to determine the size you want.

 

[Fancy]

I agree Lugus ... they were all so different, and the whieflash one had the diamonds at HUGE proportions. But on the bottom of the whiteflash chart says that the sizes are not accurate, so it's not that useful in helping to visualize the sizes.

I am going to go to a jewelry store and ask to see different sizes in different shapes.

 

[justme]

I like lawgem's # chart the best.

All of the listing Fancy posted and the whiteflash link are not to scale, at least on my screen.

Draw circles matching lawgems #'s and you'll have a better idea. 1 carat is approx the size of a pencil eraser.

This is an excellant reason to visit B&M stores. Ask them to put some in front of you to see in real life. Color is another good thing to see in person.


Justme

 

[mike04456]

----------------
Draw circles matching lawgems #'s and you'll have a better idea.
----------------

An idea, but as I said, those numbers are for properly-proportioned stones, and even then they are a general range. Your mileage will probably vary.

 

[Adrienne]

My fiance thinks I'm pathetic (but funny) -

A 1-carat round diamond is quoted as 6.5mm (yeah, yeah, well proportioned, etc).... which is approximately the size of the holes from a hole punch. The one in my office is 6.5mm and the one at home is 7mm. So now I have a round circle from the hole punch just sitting next to my moniter!

It works pretty well, however, to see how a 1 carat diamond would look on my finger (use your imaginations, people!)

 

[Lugus]

----------------
On 3/17/2003 5:43:14 PM Fancy wrote:
I agree Lugus ... they were all so different, and the whieflash one had the diamonds at HUGE proportions. But on the bottom of the whiteflash chart says that the sizes are not accurate, so it's not that useful in helping to visualize the sizes.

I am going to go to a jewelry store and ask to see different sizes in different shapes. ----------------

Remember to get the depth/table % of each of the stones, or make sure the diamonds are all ideal cut. It's always best to compare apples to apples.

 

[rbjd]

Here's what I did to learn a lot about the size of (round brilliant) diamonds and my girlfriend's preferences. It also shows how silly and obsessive I've been about the whole process of buying an engagement diamond.

I was lucky enough to find an old used A.D. Leveridge millimeter gauge on eBay for $25.00. It works beautifully to measure the diameter of loose stones. Good luck finding a similar gauge for a similar price, but you never know.

I was also able to find loose CZ's on eBay for less than $2 in just about every size imaginable. I have 5mm, 5.5mm, 6mm, 6.5mm, 7mm, 7.5mm, 8mm and 8.5mm CZs. So basically for less than $40 (which is less than 1% of what I'll eventually spend on a diamond), I have learned:

1) How to use a Leveridge gauge to measure loose stones
2) How to get an excellent idea of the true size of diamonds I'll be looking at
3) CZ's are not marketed at the exact sizes that really are (my 6.5mm CZ turned out to be about 6.4mm)
4) My girlfriend thinks 6.4mm is too small, 7mm is too big and somewhere around 6.5mm to 6.6mm is just right

(Oh yeah, and I learned how to always tell a CZ from a real diamond)

All of this knowledge has freed me from the concept of thinking about diamonds in terms of carat size and now I think about them in terms of millimeters in diameter, a fact which will probably save me hundreds of dollars on my eventual purchase.

The practical example of this is simply: which looks bigger, a 6.5mm 1.00 carat diamond or a 6.4mm 1.04 diamond? Or how about a 6.48mm .98 carat diamond vs. a 6.45mm 1.00 carat diamond? Your wallet will feel the difference.

 

[Fancy]

rbjd.... other than e bay, is there anywhere on line to order different sizes of cubic zirconia stones? I love the idea of being able to see the sizes and "live" with them. Great idea!

 

[fire&ice]

----------------
On 3/17/2003 5:44:50 PM justme wrote:


Draw circles matching lawgems #'s and you'll have a better idea. 1 carat is approx the size of a pencil eraser.

This is an excellant reason to visit B&M stores. Ask them to put some in front of you to see in real life. Color is another good thing to see in person.


Justme
----------------

I drew the circles. While it gave you an idea, it was a very vague & inaccurate one at that. A diamond is 3 dimensional. Trying on CZ's were more accurate.

As you state, visiting a jewelry store was the only way I could relate size.

 

[mike04456]

----------------
I was lucky enough to find an old used A.D. Leveridge millimeter gauge on eBay for $25.00.
----------------

rbjd, I admire your persistence and energy, but here's one caveat: old Leveridge gauges can get out of calibration. Have you had it serviced since buying it? The manufacturer will re-calibrate it for you for a fairly nominal charge, but otherwise your measurements are probably off, perhaps significantly so. When you're talking about tenths of a millimeter, it doesn't take much to throw you off.

 

[rbjd]

Fancy,

I'm pretty sure the vendors I bought some of my CZ's from on eBay just sell them straight off their websites. You can find several with lots of feedback on eBay that may have links to their own sites. Probably just doing a search would turn some up. You should be able to find high quality CZ's for anywhere from $.69 to $2.99 depending on size. I have a whole tray of them now and aside from tormenting my girlfriend, they are actually quite sparkly and make for interesting decor. They've been very handy to compare against several real diamonds we already have also.

(In my obsessive quest, I also picked up some really cheap white sapphires and white topaz just to see the difference. I was almost going to fork out the cash for a small moissanite but decided I was going too far! Diamonds are still the most natural and prettiest stones in my opinion.)

Another upshot is my girlfriend will get to see firsthand how much nicer the real diamond is than the CZ's when I finally get her "the one".

 

[rbjd]

LawGem,

Micromat told me they'd make my gauge like new if I send it to them along with a check for $45. For a total investment of $70 that still seems like a bargain to me, but I've checked the gauge against known numbers on loose stones and it seems to be right on the money. I may just send it in anyway. Thanks for the info.