How Much is 1 Carat Loose Diamond?

One carat loose diamonds can have different price ranges depending on their quality so diamond dealers have the concern of putting the right price tag per quality of the diamond.

If you are curious about what makes a one carat loose diamond cheap or expensive and want to know for yourself next time you shop for diamonds, here’s how.

What are the Different Factors in the Prices of Diamonds?

1. Carat Weight

The carat weight will be the one to objectively identify the quality of the diamond among the 4C’s, and in turn, the price of the diamond. A jeweler’s digital scale can measure a diamond’s carat weight.

Diamonds with a higher carat weight are usually worth more than smaller diamonds and the carat weight assigned to them will determine the quality and value of the diamond.

However, not all carat weights were created equal. If the diamond has a higher carat weight but received poor grades in other aspects like diamond cut, color, and clarity, it can be worth less than a diamond with a lower carat weight that has higher points in diamond clarity, cut and color grade so you should always remember this.

2. Cut

The first thing to look for is the cut quality of your diamond. The cut can have a major importance on the aesthetic aspect of how your diamonds look, it can also have a big effect on the price. If a diamond is well cut it can dazzle and shine in every angle and facet of your diamond as the light hits it.

The cut is very important to the diamond as it has a huge impact on how the diamond’s facets interact with light. It’s determined by symmetry, polish, and proportion. For a diamond to truly showcase its beauty, the cut plays a huge role.

According to the AGS ( American Gem Society ) if your diamond is a well-cut diamond it will have more life and sparkle than a diamond with lesser cut quality.

The three optical effects to see the cut quality of a diamond:

• Brightness: The brightness is the white light reflection on your diamond.
• Fire: The flashes of color your diamond is the fire that displays as light refracts due to a prismatic effect.
• Scintillation: To see a scintillation, it is the play between the light and dark areas of your diamond.

Types of Diamond Cuts:

• Brilliant cut
• Step Cut
• Mixed Cut

3. Clarity

The clarity of the diamond determines how rare it is and its purity. As one of the 4C’s of a diamond, the clarity of a diamond affects its price. For the diamond to be truly flawless, it needs to have no inclusions, which are internal flaws, and no blemishes, which are imperfections on the surface.

Why are diamond clarity grades so important? The AGS stated that diamonds that have a higher clarity are more rare and valuable.
To spot a diamond with poor quality they will have less brilliance and have a cloudy appearance, not unlike clear and sparkling diamonds with a better clarity.

Diamonds that received a lower quality grade can be easily chipped, cracked, or can shatter on impact if smashed or dropped. So if you see a diamond that has a price tag that is too good to be true, check the price. A diamond that is truly flawless is often rare and comes with an impressive price tag.

4. Color

The color refers to the tinge of color found in natural diamonds. It is rare to have a diamond that is completely colorless and therefore they are harder to find.

If the diamond has the perfect near white color, the price goes up, if the color turns to the yellow hue, the price goes down.

The international standard of grading a diamond’s color is from the letter “D” which is colorless, to letter Z, light yellow diamond.

Color is important as it affects how the diamond looks. Diamonds that have a low color grade can appear yellow rather than the desired colorless stone.

Types of Diamond Color Grades:

• DEF – Colorless
• GHIJ – Near colorless
• KLM – Faint yellow
• NOPQR – Very light yellow
• STUVWXYZ – Light yellow

Different Prices for a 1 Carat Loose Diamond

A simple 1 carat loose diamond can have a price range of $1,000 to over $12,000. Diamonds that are in the middle price range can cost around $4,000 – $4,100.

Diamond prices are not set in stone as it can even vary day to day because of ever-changing trends in the diamond market and also depending on the time of year.

Other than the diamond’s 4C’s, the diamond grades, and shapes can have a huge impact on the price of the diamond.

Here are 11 common diamond shapes:

• Oval
• Princess
• Round
• Cushion
• Emerald
• Asscher
• Marquise
• Pear
• Trillion
• Radiant
• Heart

How Diamond Grades Affect The Price

The GIA or AGS are two well-known international institutions that grade diamonds objectively and fairly. By checking the official GIA or AGS certification of the diamond you will know exactly the worth of the diamonds and it’s value when you pay for it through the grade they are given.

Buying a diamond can be confusing as a 1 carat loose diamond can be more expensive than a 2 carat one, they are also one different price on a 1 carat loose diamond.

The best thing to do when you want to compare prices and are confused that one is more expensive than the other is to look for the diamond’s certification or report.

If you want to objectively look at the diamond’s quality if it corresponds to the price, check its 4C’s (color, cut, carat weight, clarity).

So if the one carat loose diamond has a lower price than another, it may be due to it having low grades on its 4C’s.

Contact us at Shira Diamonds to learn more about diamonds!

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