A one-carat diamond will often set you back somewhere between $1,800 and $12,000. The cost of a diamond is determined by its Cut, Clarity, Colour, and Shape. One carat of the diamond can range in price from several hundred to several thousand dollars depending on the quality of its cut.
On average, the retail price for one carat diamonds can be anywhere between $2,000 to $16,000, and between $8,000 to $72,000 for two carat diamonds . And of course, the retail price and the resale value of a diamond are very different things.
Note the range for all qualities of 1-carat stones range from $2,473 to $12,317 for a perfect, colorless 1-carat diamond. Note these are retail prices for loose, 1-carat diamonds sold to buyers. Resale prices will be much lower. One-carat diamond resale value: $1,036 to $5,946, depending on clarity, color and shape.
A one-carat round brilliant diamond has a width of 6.5 mm. This is reasonably big, though not as big as the oval, pear, or marquise cuts of similar weight. A one-carat oval cut diamond measures around 7.55 by 5.54mm.
Rule of thumb: A 1-carat diamond can cost as low as $2,000 and as high as $25,000. That means a middle-of-the-range diamond should be $11,000 - $12,000. Sounds simple, but that is overpaying. A good value, good quality 1 carat diamond should cost you around $4,500 - $6,000.
Investment diamonds are a safe haven
Their rarity gives them a very high value, in a very low volume. In comparison, a 1-carat or 0.2g diamond can have the same value as a 1 kg bar of gold. As is the case for gold, the value of diamonds increases naturally and regularly depending on depletion of the resource.
What are the least expensive/most affordable diamond Cuts? Carat-per-carat, emerald and Asscher cuts are the least expensive. Because they are step-cut, there is less waste when these diamonds are cut off of the rough stone, which is going to cost the same no matter how it gets cut.
If you look at the surface area, the 1 carat diamond engagement ring measures around 33mm2 compared to more than 52mm2 for the 2 carat diamond engagement ring. In other words, when flashing your ring, people will see 50% more diamond with the 2 carat diamond ring.
0.90 Carats
Almost one carat, 0.90 cts is a popular choice for those looking to save on a one-carat diamond. Unless someone's measuring your diamond, they'll never know that it's below 1.00 ct, and the jump in pricing at the one-carat mark makes this diamond weight appealing to those looking for savings.
We all loved Kim Kardashian's custom designed, 20.5-carat, emerald cut diamond engagement ring, but now, as she's set to divorce her husband Kanye West, engagement ring experts at Steven Stone couldn't help but wonder how much that show stopping ring is actually worth.
Much like the often emotional purchase of an automobile, a diamond ring's value can depreciate quickly after the initial purchase. That said, if you purchase a high-quality engagement ring and take good care of it, the piece will keep a relatively consistent value that could go up over time.
Value at Resale
Diamonds typically lose between 25 and 50 per cent of their actual worth upon resale due to market fluctuations, the markup on your ring, and the decline in diamond prices.
Like a car, a diamond is a depreciating asset since it loses a large portion of its value the second you buy it. Think about gold and silver. The market for them is very liquid and fungible since you can store coins, sell them at any time or even trade them later on.
In certain parts of the world, gold is considered a form of currency, which is not true for diamonds. In this sense, gold could be worth more than diamonds. On the other hand, diamonds often have a better resale value, making them worth more when considering this factor.
Diamonds are much more expensive than gold. However, red diamonds are extremely rare on our planet. Only 30 of them are currently known, and most of them do not weigh more than half a carat (about 0.1 grams). They are worth a lot, and 1 gram can cost around $ 5 million.
With the average-sized engagement ring being a 1-carat stone, it's safe to say anything larger can be considered big. Most people think diamonds are big when they start to reach 2-carats or bigger. However, rings of this size are less common. This is one of the reasons that most people feel 2-carats is a big diamond.
ROUND BRILLIANT DIAMOND
By far the most popular cut is the Round Brilliant, with it's fifty-seven perfectly aligned facets it's brilliance really does out-shine the others. Total internal reflection is the key here; light travels through the stone giving optimum sparkle and scintillation.
Diamonds increase in value over time and don't offer short-term results. In fact, like other physical commodities, the price of diamonds fluctuates from time to time. The second mistake people often make is to pay too much. The first rule of investing is buying low and selling high.
Which Diamond Color Is The Most Expensive? Despite the popularity of white diamonds, red diamonds take the prize for the most expensive diamond color. This is primarily due to their rarity. Red diamonds also differ in the source of their color from other colored diamonds.
The most popular diamond carat weight for engagement and wedding rings, the 1-carat diamond is a great carat weight to include in your next ring purchase for many reasons!
For the average person in the U.S., any diamond at least between 2 and 2.4 carats is considered “big,” i.e., way more than enough.
On average, you can expect the cost of a 2 carat diamond to widely vary depending on its shape, cut quality, clarity, color, and whether it's a naturally mined or lab diamond. The varying cost can range from $5,000 to $50,000 or more.
The standard round cut diamond comprises 57 facets (58 including one on the bezel). This cut heightens the diamond's sparkle and shine. Because round diamonds have the largest number of facets, they create the most sparkle.
Emerald. Rarer than diamonds, emeralds are also more expensive than the same quality diamond.
In terms of the price, cubic zirconia is possibly the most affordable alternative to diamonds. To compare, a 1-carat diamond with flawless clarity and an excellent cut can set you back $11,000, while a 1-carat cubic zirconia will cost you about $20.