The carat weight of a diamond is one of its defining traits.
If you’re searching for an engagement ring diamond, you might consider one that weighs 0.90 or 1 carats.
The main difference between a 0.90 and 1 carat diamond is a 1 carat diamond has a slightly longer diameter, often 0.2 mm wider than a 0.90 carat diamond. They generally appear identical to the naked eye because the distinction in weight and size is so minimal.
My recommendation is to choose a 0.90 carat diamond instead of 1 carat because they offer better value.
But let’s compare 0.90 versus 1 carat diamonds across their most important characteristics, including dimensions, price, popularity, and more, so you can decide which is right for you.
Size and Dimensions
The size of a diamond is generally referring to its weight, because that’s the primary way it’s measured.
If you’re speaking with a jeweler about a group of diamonds, they won’t first describe them by the width of its table or the height from the culet to the crown.
As you can see from the image below, it’s a confusing way to describe its size and doesn’t convey much to the average buyer.
Instead, the jeweler will identify them by carat weight. One carat equals 0.2 grams, so a 0.90 carat diamond weighs 0.18 grams.
This slight difference in weight does affect its overall dimensions.
To demonstrate, we’ll compare the measurements of two diamonds.
This 0.90 carat diamondis viewable in high-resolution from every angle.
Its measurements are 6.13 – 6.21 mm x 3.80 mm.
The first number is its minimum diameter, and the second is the maximum.
The third measurement, 3.80 mm, is its depth. A diamond’s depth is the height from the table to the culet.
Now we’ll compare it to this 1 carat diamond.
Its dimensions are 6.36 – 6.41 mm x 3.87 mm.
The extra 0.10 carats do result in a wider diamond with more depth, but the differences aren’t noticeable in most cases.
For instance, if a jeweler showed you a single diamond and you were told it was either 0.90 or 1 carats, it’d be difficult to give the correct answer.
On the other hand, if you placed a 0.90 and 1 carat diamond next to each other, you could likely identify the difference if you examined them closely.
Price
Carat weight is one of the most impactful qualities on a diamond’s price. It doesn’t increase linearly.
Instead, it’s exponential, where a one carat costs more than twice as much as a 0.50 carat diamond, and the price more than doubles from1 to 2 carats.
To provide examples, I compiled prices for more than 500 diamonds with the same traits, except they had different carat weights. Their average prices are in the chart below.
To provide a price comparison for 1 carat versus 0.9 carat diamonds, I analyzed prices for 337 diamonds from online jeweler James Allen, where I bought my wife’s engagement ring diamond.
They had the following qualities:
- Cut: Ideal
- Clarity: VS1
- Color: G
- Fluorescence: None
- Grading lab: GIA
The average price for the 1 carat diamonds was $8,834, with a range of $7,740 to $12,470.
For 0.90 carats, the average was $5,977. The lowest price at that carat weight was $5,170, and the highest was $7,400.
On average, that’s a 48 percent premium for a 1 carat diamond over one that weighs 0.90 carats. Even though the 1 carat gem weighs only 11 percent more, it costs almost double the price.
The reason there’s such a significant price difference is because jewelers know there’s more demand for 1 carat.
There’s a sense of prestige a full carat carries. Many buyers pay a higher price for that satisfaction.
As a comparison, I assessed average prices for 31 0.80 carat diamonds with those same grades. It came out to $4,530.
Although the difference between them and 0.90 carats is the same, the premium for 0.90 carats is only 32 percent.
These comparisons show 1 carat diamonds aren’t the best value because the slight difference in weight is met with a substantial increase in price.
Popularity for Engagement Rings
One carat diamonds are more popular for engagement rings compared to ones that weigh 0.90 carats.
Like I mentioned above, buyers often receive a sense of satisfaction knowing it meets that threshold, even if there’s a premium.
In fact, the average carat weight for an engagement ring diamond is close to 1 carat.
Estimates differ, but you’ll generally see it placed between 1 and 1.09 carats.
Take this 1 carat engagement ring as an example.
When placed in the 14K white gold solitaire setting, the diamond commands all the attention.
At this size, you don’t have to worry about it appearing small or feeling compelled to add more diamonds to the piece.
For engagement ring diamonds less than one carat, it’s common to include features like a halo or pave diamonds.
The additional gems add weight to the piece without the same price increase that would result from choosing a 1 carat diamond.
But it’s important to emphasize this isn’t essential for a stunning engagement ring. In general, you’d need to add about 20 percent to a diamond’s carat weight before it’s noticeable.
For example, when I bought my wife’s engagement ring, I have to admit: It appeared smaller than what I was expecting. When I connected with the store representative, he was helpful in explaining this principle to me.
Although I was considering moving up 0.10-0.15 carats, he was willing to turn down an upsell opportunity to convey this idea. I stuck with my original purchase, and I’m glad I did.
So while the naked eye can distinguish between 0.8 and 1 carat, the difference between 0.90 and 1 carat doesn’t meet that criteria unless you’re examining them closely side-by-side.
Another way to demonstrate the popularity of 1 carat diamonds over 0.90 is comparing the selection at popular jewelers.
Blue Nile has almost 500,000 round-cut diamonds in its inventory. About 9,000 of them weigh 0.90 carats, and almost 20,000 are 1 carat diamonds.
Jewelers and diamond cutters know 1 carat diamonds are far more popular, so they choose to cut rough diamonds at that weight more often.
Color
A diamond’s color grade indicates the presence of yellow or brown in its facets.
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) developed a scale from D to Z, where D means colorless and Z identifies strong color.
Each grade is placed in one of five categories:
- Colorless (D-F)
- Near colorless (G-J)
- Faint (K-M)
- Very light (N-R)
- Light (S-Z)
As a buyer, don’t concern yourself too much with a specific color grade. Instead, it’s about finding a 0.90 or 1 carat diamond that appears colorless without magnification.
In both cases, diamonds graded H or above often meet this standard.
For example, view this high-quality image of a 1 carat diamond with an H color grade.
Now compare it to this one that earned a D.
It’s difficult to distinguish their color.
The same is true for 0.90 carat diamonds because in general, higher carat weights require improved grades to appear eye-clean.
The reason I recommend near colorless diamonds, as opposed to colorless, is because of value.
You’ll avoid the price increase for a colorless diamond, but it’ll look identical. That savings can be put toward improved cut or clarity grades or a setting.
Cut
A diamond’s cut is the most important quality in terms of its brilliance. A poorly cut diamond, no matter how large or free of inclusions or color, appears dull.
Similar to color, the GIA created a cut scale with five grades: excellent, very good, good, fair, and poor.
I recommend selecting an excellent cut whether it weighs 0.90, 1, or any other carat weight. It’s worth the higher cost to maximize light performance. There’s also the potential to hide inclusions or yellow shades because of scintillation.
But also note more than the final cut grade on the report. In fact, its cut is combination of many factors, such as:
- Polish: the smoothness of its surface
- Symmetry: the alignment and arrangement of facets
- Girdle thickness
- Proportions
Even if a diamond isn’t perfect in all these areas, it can still earn the highest cut grade.
As an example, let’s walk through the GIA report for a one carat diamond.
Its table percentage is 60 percent, which falls outside the ideal range of 54 to 57 percent.
But its girdle is medium to slightly thick, which is in the ideal range of thin to slightly thick.
It earned excellent symmetry and polish grades.
These factors come together to result in an excellent cut. You can expect exceptional light performance and shine from this diamond.
As a comparison, we’ll examine the qualities of this 0.90 carat diamond with a good cut grade.
Its girdle, which measures thick to very thick, is outside the ideal range. It earned a very good symmetry grade. Its table percentage of 62 percent is far from perfect.
We’d expect this diamond to appear dull in comparison to the excellent cut.
The ability to understand traits that make up a cut grade is especially important for fancy shapes such as emerald, princess, and marquise cuts.
They don’t receive traditional cut grades from the GIA like round diamonds.
To illustrate, here’s a report for a 1-carat princess cut.
So you’ll have to examine these qualities in detail.
Clarity
Diamonds earn clarity grades that identify the extent to which inclusions, also called clarity characteristics, affect its appearance, brilliance, and durability.
The GIA scale ranges from flawless to I3, where each step down the scale indicates more impactful blemishes.
Similar to color, the goal isn’t to choose a 1 or 0.90 carat diamond with specific clarity grade.
Instead, aim to select a diamond where inclusions aren’t visible to the naked eye.
It’s incredibly rare for a diamond to earn a flawless grade, so most buyers end up with one that has inclusions such as:
- Bruises
- Etch channels
- Cavities
- Feathers
In most cases, I recommend starting your search with SI1 clarity diamonds for both 0.90 and 1 carats.
It may have several pinpoints scattered across the table or a transparent feather on the pavilion.
But if small enough, they’re only visible at 10x magnification.
To provide a real example, here’s a 1 carat diamond that earned a VS2 clarity grade.
The clarity plot on its report shows crystals, clouds, needles, and naturals.
But each instance is small. They’re likely invisible when viewed in a normal setting.
If you place it next to a 0.90 carat diamond that earned a VVS1 clarity grade, you can’t distinguish between them.
But you’d pay up to 50 percent more for that improved clarity grade.
If you’re keeping track, this is the third way to reduce the price of your engagement ring diamond.
Opt for 0.90 carats instead of 1 and color and clarity grades that avoid premiums but appear identical to ones with higher grades.
How to Decide Between a 0.90 or 1 Carat Diamond
Deciding on a 0.90 versus 1 carat diamond involves understanding how the slight difference in weight affects its price, appearance, and performance.
Here are some guidelines to help.
Opt for a 0.90 carat diamond if:
- You aren’t concerned about reaching the 1 carat threshold and want to save between 30 and 50 percent on its price
- You’re interested in increasing the total carat weight of the piece with diamond accents in the form of a halo or pavé
- You understand it’ll appear almost identical to a 1 carat diamond
Explore 1 carat diamonds if:
- You want the satisfaction of a full carat
- You’re willing to pay the premium compared to a diamond with a slightly lower carat weight
- You’re interested in a diamond that often stands alone in a solitaire setting and choose not to complement it with other gems
Compare 0.90 and 1 carat diamonds at in-person retailers or online jewelers that offer high-resolution images and show the grading report.
You can then create the perfect diamond ring for your occasion.
FAQs
Can you tell a difference between a .9 carat and 1 carat diamond? ›
The other piece is that visually the difference between a 1 carat and a . 9 carat is virtually impossible to detect. So you need to see at least a difference of 20% in carat weight to notice somewhat of a difference in size.
Can you tell the difference between a .90 and a 1 carat diamond? ›You see, a well cut 1 carat diamond is about 6.4-6.5 mm in diameter and a 0.9 carat diamond is about 6.2-6.3 mm. In terms of physical dimensions, they are only 0.2 mm apart. If you want to see what a small difference this is, simply pick up a ruler and look at the sub-divisions.
How much is a 0.90 carat diamond worth? ›The average price of a 0.9 carat diamond is currently $3,792 (see price chart below). 0.9 carat diamonds can cost anywhere from $1,100 - $9,177 depending on the diamond's shape, color, clarity, and other factors. To see specific details on diamond pricing by shape see our 0.9 carat diamond prices table below.
Is 0.9 carat small? ›On average, a well-cut one-carat diamond will average about 6.4 to 6.5mm in diameter, where a 0.9 carat diamond is roughly around 0.2 to 0.3 mm smaller than this.
What is the most popular diamond carat size? ›The average total carat weight for an engagement ring in the U.S. hovers just over 1 carat, at 1.08 carats. The range of 1.0 to 1.9 carats is by far the most popular, but there are noticeable peaks at the 0.70 – 0.79 range, the 0.90 – 0.99 range and the 1.50 – 1.59 range.
Why does my 1 carat diamond look small? ›A deeply cut diamond has most of its weight hidden in its depth, making it appear smaller than a well-cut diamond of the same weight. Just because the proportions of a diamond are a little off of ideal is not necessarily a bad thing.
What is the best diamond size for the money? ›The 1.0 carat center stone used to be the most desired size chosen for engagement rings, however, more recently we are seeing this shift towards a slightly larger stone, with couples choosing diamonds averaging 1.25 to 1.50 carats.
How do you pick a 1 carat diamond? ›For a 1 carat diamond, we generally recommend a minimum of a SI1 grade (or a really nice SI2), as most inclusions and blemishes will be invisible to the naked eye. You may be able to find an SI1 with inclusions near the edges of the diamond–that, depending on shape, may be covered by the setting prongs.
How big does 1 carat diamond look? ›Notice that a 0.60 carat round diamond is approximately 5.35mm in diameter, while a 1 carat diamond is 6.4mm in diameter. So, even though the 1 carat diamond is almost double the carat weight of the 0.60 carat diamond, it's only about 20% larger when viewed from the top-down. The same goes for other diamond shapes.
Is .90 almost a carat? ›One of the things that we always try to stress to our customers in the market for a stone this size, is that a diamond in the . 90 carat range will look almost exactly the same as a 1 carat stone, but will yield a lower price.
What does a 1.1 carat diamond cost? ›
1.1 carat round diamond prices usually range from $2,392 to $16,909 with an average price of $7,231.
How many carats in a diamond is good investment? ›Diamonds that weigh between 0.50 carat and 1 carat are considered the wisest investment choices.
What is a decent carat size? ›0.70 Carats
A sweet spot in the compromise between size and price, diamonds around the 0.70-ct mark make great engagement ring stones. A diamond budget of about $2,000 can get you a fine diamond at this weight.
A good rule of thumb is to stay between 0.25 ctw and 1 ctw for an everyday pair of studs. Then, if you're shopping for a pair of diamond studs that you'll wear on special occasions, you may want to go a bit bigger and opt for diamonds that are over 1 ctw.
Is less than 1 carat too small? ›A majority of women around the world have an engagement ring smaller than 1-carat. So, our answer to this question would be no, 1-carat is not too small for an engagement ring. However, it is really up to the individuals what carat weight, along with the diamond shape they want to go for.
Is size or quality of diamond more important? ›So yes, if you prefer a bigger diamond, then size does matter. You should seek the largest carat size (a.k.a. diamond weight) available within your budget. However, if exceptional sparkle is most important to you, then you should seek the highest quality diamond available within your budget.
What carat should an engagement ring be? ›One of the decisions to be made when considering the purchase of an engagement ring is how many carats should the ring be? The average according to The Knot (a research company and website for all things wedding) is 1 to 2 carats. There is no rule. Developing a budget is always a good place to start.
What shape of diamond looks the biggest? ›Round Diamonds Give the Illusion of a Larger Stone
Which diamond shape looks biggest? "In terms of shape, round diamonds look larger for their carat weight than many other cuts," Kwiat says. "The circular cut is not as deep, so much of the weight is reflected in its size appearance."
Bezel setting: In this setting style, a band of metal surrounds the diamond's girdle. As a result, the diamond's circumference may appear to be larger. Bezel engagement ring settings also afford extra protection against accidental bangs and bumps. TIP: The bezel setting is generally used for round and oval diamonds.
Do diamonds look bigger once set? ›Does a High Setting Make a Diamond Look Bigger? As we established above, yes, a high setting can make a diamond look bigger. This is especially true if you pair a high setting with a thin ring shank or band.
What cut diamond holds its value the best? ›
Round cut. The most desirable and highly valued – and many would say best – diamond cut is the round cut. A round brilliant cut diamond has 58 facets, which is the perfect number of facets needed to produce maximum fire and sparkle – which is what many look for as a sign of ultimate quality in a diamond.
Do you want more or less carats in diamonds? ›In general, the higher the carat is, the higher the diamond price is. "If all else is equal (cut, clarity, and color), a diamond's price increases with diamond carat weight because larger diamonds are more rare and more desirable," Florman says.
What clarity of diamond should I buy? ›For diamonds over 2 carats, a clarity grade of VS2 or higher is the safest bet for avoiding any signs of visible inclusions. In diamonds between 1 and 2 carats, clarity grades of SI1 or better will not have inclusions easily visible to the naked eye.
What is the best cut for a 1 carat diamond ring? ›Marquise cut diamonds are considered the best shape for maximizing carat weight. Out of all other shapes of the same weight, they appear the largest (followed by Pear, Oval, and Emerald). This means that a 1 carat Marquise engagement ring will look more substantial and slenderize the finger when worn.
How much is 1.06 ct diamond worth? ›The average price per carat for a 1 carat diamond ranged between $1,600 – $15,000 approximately. For e.g. a 0.50 carat diamond priced at $1400 per carat would be worth $700 while a 1.06 carat diamond priced at $1500 per carat amounts to $1590.
How much is a 1 carat diamond worth resale? ›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 .
Is 1 carat small? ›How Big is a 1 Carat Diamond? Remember, carats are actually a measure of weight, not size, so the measurements of a 1 carat diamond will differ from stone to stone. But if we're talking about your average round brilliant, they're going to land somewhere in the region of 6.5mm diameter. Or about 1/4 inch.
Is a 1 carat diamond good enough? ›Why is a one-carat diamond an ideal choice? The average carat weight of an engagement ring in the United States is 0.9 Carat. Choosing a 1 carat diamond is ideal because it can fit within your budget without being visually overpowering. Premium diamonds of higher carat weights are also very rare.
What is considered a small engagement ring? ›Typically, a small engagement ring has a stone size of 0.40 carats or below. In comparison, a common regular-sized engagement ring is 0.50 carats or larger.
How much is a .90 carat diamond? ›0.9 carat round diamond prices usually range from $1,383 to $9,825 with an average price of $4,197.
What is the most common diamond carat weight? ›
Research has shown that the most common diamond carat size is somewhere between 1.0 and 1.2 carats. A single-carat diamond is just over half a centimeter in diameter, less than half the size of a penny!
Why is 1 carat more expensive? ›But, a diamond stone becomes rarer as its carat size increases and therefore, as carat weight goes up, the stone's cost increases exponentially even for the same quality.
What is the lowest carat diamond you can get? ›At Shining Diamonds, customers can choose from a variety of diamond carat weights ranging from 0.25ct to 1.00ct. This is the most popular carat weight range, but if needed, we can also source carat weights larger than 1.00ct.
Are diamonds worth more now than 20 years ago? ›Yes, the average diamond price has increased from 1960 to today. However, there's also been cumulative inflation of more than 700% over the same time period, meaning that the true appreciation in value of a diamond is very small.
What does 1 carat diamond look like on a finger? ›A one carat gemstone will look completely different on a smaller finger than a larger one. Shorter fingers will appear longer with an elongated cut, like an emerald or oval cut. On the other hand, long fingers appear shorter with a round, brilliant cut.
How do you know a good price for a diamond? ›To calculate diamond price, first, choose a color grade (leftmost column) and a clarity grade (top row). Next, multiply the number shown at their intersection by 100, then multiply that number by the carat size. For example, an I-color grade, VVS2-clarity grade diamond would cost $3,000 per carat.
How many carats is acceptable? ›The diamond weight of one carat is considered the ideal size since it is suitable for most people's hands in terms of both size and shape and because its price is competitive with that of diamonds of other weights. This round, brilliant cut typically has a diameter of 6.5 millimetres.
Which color diamond is best? ›D color diamond is the highest grade and is extremely rare—the highest color grade that money can buy. Eight percent of customers choose a D color diamond.
What is the most common engagement ring size? ›The gem's carat is the unit that measures its weight, which can influence how big it appears. According to our study, the average engagement ring size is 1.5 carats. Roughly half of all engagement rings fall between 1 and 2 carats, with just 25% of rings sizing above two carats.
How many carats is average engagement ring? ›In the United States, for example, the national average for an engagement ring is around one carat. In the United Kingdom, it's 0.6 carats, and in Europe it's even smaller, hovering at 0.5 carats. Age also matters.
What is the average ring size for a woman? ›
The average women's ring size is 6 and the average men's ring size is 8½ Guessing your partner's ring size correctly can be done with a little common sense. If you have a petite partner, it's likely that their hands are smaller with slender fingers, so try starting at a size 4 or 4½ for women, and around a 7 for men.
Does half a carat make a difference? ›Diamond Prices Have an Exponential Relationship With Carat Weight. Diamond prices jump at every 10 points (0.1 carat). For example, a 0.50 carat diamond would cost about 30% more than a 0.40 carat diamond with similar specifications. Yet, the real difference in size between these 2 stones is roughly 0.4mm.
What is the best carat size for small hands? ›Petite Hands & Diamond Size
If your hands are small, we recommend diamonds ranging between . 5 and 1.0 carats.
The most common finger sizes are between US 4 – US 7. In my opinion, diamonds ranging between 0.5ct – 1.5ct would look perfectly fine on these finger sizes. Personally, I think diamonds below 0.30ct would look small and I would recommend using a halo setting to spruce up the appearance of the engagement ring.
How can you tell a 1 carat diamond? ›A diamond's size is described in millimeters (mm). These measurements are roughly comparable to carats. A 1-carat round diamond is typically 6.5 mm, while a 1.25-carat round diamond is 6.8 mm. For square-cut diamonds like princess, cushion, and asscher, 1-carat is typically 5.5 mm and a 1.25 carat is 6 mm.
Can you tell the difference between a 1 carat and 2 carat? ›The difference between a 1 Carat and 2 Carat diamond is purely weight – 200 milligrams to be precise. It's important to remember that a diamond of greater Carat weight will not possess more brightness, colour, or clarity than a smaller diamond of the same quality.
Can you tell the carat of a diamond? ›Determining a Diamond's Carat Weight by Measuring
You could estimate the carat weight by measuring the size and diameter of the diamond which are divided by the shape of the diamond, both round diamonds and square diamonds.
Based on analyzing market prices, a 1 carat diamond costs between $1,800 and $12,000 (depending on the current market situation). The price depends on factors such as the cut quality, clarity, color and shape of the diamond. Cut quality is the aspect that most greatly impacts a 1 carat diamond's price and its beauty.
What is the easiest way to tell if a diamond is real? ›Water Test
If you have a loose diamond to test, fill a regular glass about ¾ of the way full with water. Gently drop the diamond into the glass. If the diamond sinks to the bottom, it's real. If it floats at the surface or just underneath, it's likely a fake.
Carat is a measure of weight, rather than size of a diamond, and most of a diamond's weight is actually carried on the bottom half of the stone, where it can't be seen. So, while a 1 carat diamond measures 6.5mm across the top, a 0.8 carat stone measures just 0.5mm less, at 6mm.
Is 1 carat considered big? ›
If you're from the Midwest or a smaller town, you'll notice that a 1 carat stone is still considered the “classic” weight. Look around and see what most of your social circle is sporting and you'll have a good idea if your one carat rock is considered large, geographically speaking.
Is a 1 carat diamond big enough? ›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.
How to tell if a diamond is real with a flashlight in a ring? ›By holding a diamond close to a source of light, such as a flashlight, you can tell whether or not it's real. Watch closely for the shimmers of light that shine from the stone. A real diamond will reflect light easily, and provide you with a disco ball or rainbow-like display.
What carat is best for diamonds? ›The most popular carat weights for engagement diamonds are between one and two carats. If a diamond under . 75 carats is a budget necessity, consider a marquise cut, which appears larger than other shapes of equal carat weight, due to its elongated cut.
How many carats should an engagement ring be? ›One of the decisions to be made when considering the purchase of an engagement ring is how many carats should the ring be? The average according to The Knot (a research company and website for all things wedding) is 1 to 2 carats. There is no rule. Developing a budget is always a good place to start.
What is an impressive diamond size? ›"Most women think of two carats as a decent-size diamond, with a typical color clarity ranging from VS1-VS2, F-G color. [D is colorless.] A noticeably big diamond will be three carats and above.