Breaking Down the 4 C’s of Diamond Buying: Carat Weight

Breaking Down the 4 C’s of Diamond Buying: Carat Weight

Date Icon 25 September, 2025

You’ve heard that a diamond is a girl’s best friend, right? Along with those advertising messages, you may have heard that all she wants is a huge diamond—something you can measure in carat weight. The truth is that there are a lot of ways to show her your love her, and choosing the right size diamond, which doesn’t necessarily mean the largest diamond, is an important part of the diamond buying process.

Understanding Carat Weight

A carat is a specific measurement that indicates the weight of a diamond, but it’s important to note that it doesn’t necessarily reflect a diamond’s size. While a larger carat weight generally means a larger diamond, there are some things that can impact the visual size of a diamond in spite of its carat weight. Since most diamonds are viewed from the top (in a ring setting), it’s important to evaluate carat weight and size based on this, taking into account the distance in millimeters across the top, and the grade of the diamond cut.

Why Cut Grade Matters for Carat Weight

Perhaps the most noticeable feature about a diamond is what is referred to as its “sparkle”, or the way that it reflects light. More sparkle makes even a smaller diamond look impressive and beautiful, while a poorly cut diamond can quickly lose its ability to sparkle, and even though it might be large, will not look as impressive.

It is entirely possible to have a diamond with a lower carat weight, but that has a higher cut grade, that appears larger and more impressive than one with the opposite characteristics of a poor cut grade and a larger carat weight. Talk to an experienced jeweler in Utah to learn more about cut grades and how that can impact the appearance of your diamond.

Choosing the Right Carat Weight

There are many factors that go into choosing the ideal carat weight for your engagement ring. It’s important to consider the size of the finger that will be wearing the ring, the size of the setting, width of the band, and your own personal budget. In light of all these factors, the largest carat weight diamond is not always the best choice. If you already have a setting picked out, talk to a jeweler before choosing a diamond, since not all carat weights or shapes will fit into all settings properly.

Factors that Affect Diamond Prices

It’s important to note that the carat weight is not the single determining factor of price. You might be able to find a larger carat weight diamond with a low clarity grade (see our article on diamond clarity for more details) and a low color grade that costs less than a smaller diamond of higher overall quality. The latter (and less expensive) diamond, however, will look more impressive than the former.

It should also be noted that diamonds tend to jump significantly in price around the half-carat and full-carat weights, and knowing this can help you save some money without sacrificing size. If your future spouse has her heart set on a 1-carat diamond that is out of your budget, you can usually save some money by choosing a diamond that is just below that, say, around 0.95 carats. To the naked eye the difference is negligible, but it can have a significant positive impact on your wallet.

There’s a lot of pressure out there to find the ideal diamond, and while it might seem like an overwhelming process, an experienced diamond expert like the ones at AAA Jewelry can help you find exactly what you need to show your love at exactly the right price to fit your budget.