The classic 1 carat Round Brilliant cut diamond. It’s been a timeless and favourite size for decades and certainly ever since 1947 when DeBeer’s launched the famous slogan – “A Diamond is Forever”. But have you ever considered what diamonds offer the best ‘1 carat value’ for your money? And why?
Of course, if you are among the fortunate who can do diamond shopping with a “blank cheque” then stop right here and let your emotions dictate your buying decision.
How important is 1 carat?
The first question you should ask yourself, is the 1 carat ‘magic number’ really important?
Take a look at the following two diamond certificates.
The first certificate is for a Round Brilliant diamond, 1ct, F colour, SI1 clarity:
This diamond is priced at £7,340 at a UK retailer.
And this second certificate is of a Round Brilliant diamond, 0.81ct, F colour, SI1 clarity.
This diamond is priced at £3,702 at a UK retailer.
Both the diamonds are of the same quality: F colour, SI1 clarity.
The 1ct diamond is bigger than the 0.81ct diamond by a miniscule 0.37mm x 0.40mm (that is less than half of 1mm).
But the 1ct diamond is over twice the price of the 0.8 carat diamond:
| 1 carat, F colour, SI1 clarity | 0.81 carat, F colour, SI1 clarity | Difference | |
| Dimensions | 6.35mm x 6.40mm | 5.98mm x 6.00mm | 0.37 x 0.40mm |
| Price | £7,340 | £3,702 | £3,638 |
Diamonds are cut for weight – the heavier the diamond, the more expensive it is. And secondly, it is a demand – supply factor.
There are a lot more consumers in the world who want a 1ct diamond relative to its availability.
So, we go back to our original question. How important is it that you have a 1ct diamond?
If you could get a diamond that will give you the “look” of a 1 carat diamond when it is worn on your finger and save you 49.5% in price would you consider that?
Or is it an important “branding” issue where you can definitely say – “I’m wearing a 1ct diamond ring”?
Finding the best value 1 carat diamond
The Round Brilliant diamond is by far the most popular shape which as we have seen can become a very pricey option in a 1 carat size (or for that matter, any of the other ‘magic sizes’ such as 0.50ct, 1.50ct, 2.00ct and so on).
Considering other shapes can allow you to get a 1 carat diamond at a much lower price.
Princess cut
Like the round brilliant, the princess cut diamond has also been shaped to maximise its sparkle.
Plus, it has a good ‘spread’ which means that it looks significant when worn in a ring.
Take a look at this Princess Cut diamond:
Its specifications are:
- Carat weight: 1.25ct
- Colour: D
- Clarity: SI1
Price relative to the 1ct Round Brilliant we saw earlier is:
- Round Brilliant, 1ct, F/SI1: £7,340.00
- Princess Cut, 1.25ct D/SI1: £6,599.00
For the price of a 1 carat Round Brilliant, you can get a significantly larger Princess Cut diamond, and as seen in this case, of better colour as well.
Cushion cut
Cushion cuts are a versatile shape that suits a wide variety of ring settings. It comes in two types, a rectangular cushion and a square cushion, which are both are slightly beveled on all 4 sides and have rounded corners, thus giving an overall ‘softer’ and more ‘feminine’ look.
Historically it has also been a popular shape in many celebrity diamond rings.
Let’s take a look at a 1 carat cushion cut with the same specs as the 1 carat round brilliant above:
Its specifications are:
- Size: 1.01ct
- Colour: F
- Clarity: SI1
Price relative to the 1ct Round Brilliant we saw earlier is:
- Round Brilliant, 1ct, F/SI1: £7,340.00
- Cushion Cut, 1.01ct F/SI1: £3,960.00
This 1 carat Cushion cut is 46% cheaper than the same quality and weight Round Brilliant.
As a general rule of thumb, any of the fancy diamond shapes offer a lot more in terms of value when compared to an equivalent Round Brilliant.
However, if you prefer the classic and timeless look, then stick to the Round Brilliant and as I showed you earlier, you can still get a “1 carat look” with a slightly smaller diamond such as 0.80ct.
The same applies for all the other weight ranges, 0.35ct versus 0.50ct, 1.30ct versus 1.50ct, 1.80ct versus 2.00ct and so on. It does need careful selection by an expert because a poorly selected stone can make a 1 carat look like an 0.80ct as well!
Disclaimer: The prices quoted in this article are true and correct at the time of publishing. However, prices and availability of the diamonds are subject to regular fluctuations.
