How Does Carat Weight Affect the Price?
Carats are one of the most important factors when you are going to purchase a diamond. As one of the 4 Cs, carat weight is the single biggest factor in determining the price of the diamond. This is because it’s the most objective way to come up with the true value of a diamond.
Here are some helpful tips to consider when making a decision on carats.
First, carats refer to the weight of a diamond, not the size. Although people use the terms interchangeably, this is not what a carat means. Two diamond rings could look very differently and yet weigh the same depending on how the diamond is cut. Bigger to the eye does not always mean more carats. One carat is the equivalent of 200 milligrams.
As one might expect, as the carats, or weight, of a diamond increases, so does the price. The larger the carat size, the more dramatically the price can increase. This is because it is more difficult to find larger diamonds than it is smaller ones, and so the larger ones are worth considerably more. This is why you might be able to buy two smaller diamonds for less than you might purchase one diamond that weighed the equivalent of both the smaller ones.
Popularity also affects price. Certain carat weights are more popular than others, such as the 1 and 1.25 carat diamonds. Because the diamond market reacts very strongly to supply and demand, these diamonds are not always in ready supply. Their value increases sometimes dramatically compared to other carat weights.
Savvy shoppers may choose a smaller carat size with a better cut to maintain both beauty and budget.