How big is too big for a lab diamond engagement ring?

Lab diamonds continue to become more popular as an alternative to earth-mined diamonds because they’re environmentally friendly, affordable, stunning, and have origin details. While you’ll see lab-created diamonds in plenty of fine jewelry pieces, you’ll see more and more engagement rings featuring lab diamonds.

If you’re researching rings and an engagement is around the corner, consider a lab-made diamond for your engagement ring. Whether you need a new ring or want to upgrade to a bigger lab diamond for an existing ring, we have all the important details about lab-grown diamonds for you to consider.

Diamond Sizing and Carat Weight

You might be wondering how you determine the right diamond size for your engagement ring. What one would be ideal? Which carat weight would look best on your hand? What diamond fits best in the setting you want? If you’re asking yourself these same questions, we have the answers.

First, let’s dive into what carat weight is considered big. In general, diamonds more than two carats are considered big. There are a few factors that impact the average carat size, such as demographics and location. As an example, in the United States, the average diamond size in an engagement ring is 1.08 carats. However, in the United Kingdom, the average is 0.6 carats and in Europe, it’s around 0.5 carats.

It’s also important to note that the price of diamonds increases significantly once the diamond crosses the one-carat mark. Larger diamonds are more expensive because they’re more rare. Another aspect is that the price increases exponentially over the one carat size. A one-carat diamond for $5,000 doesn’t mean a two-carat diamond will cost $10,000. The price also is affected by the quality of the diamond, and not just the size. It’s best to focus on the diamond’s color, cut, and clarity rather than solely on the carat weight.
Lab diamonds cost approximately 30% less than earth-mined diamonds at the same quality level, so you can enjoy a larger rock at a more affordable price. You’ll want to pick a certified lab diamond so you know exactly what you’re getting including the quality details. Lab grown diamonds are evaluated using the same color, cut, carat and clarity scales and are IGI certified. Cut impacts the sparkle of the diamond and its overall appearance, so it’s important to understand all that you can about the cut.

So how big is too big? It depends on the following factors.

Now that you have the background information on diamond sizes, it’s time to get into the details.

Shape/size of the finger: Consider the size of your fingers and hand. If you’re more petite, larger diamonds could look oversized. For example, a one-carat diamond on a size four finger can look very large, while a one-carat diamond on a size-eight finger could look smaller."

Shape of the diamond: Some diamond cuts look larger than their carat weight. The shape contributes to how large a diamond looks. The four shapes that look the largest per carat are marquise, pear, oval, and emerald (from largest in appearance to smallest). A one-carat elongated diamond like an oval or pear appears larger than a square-shaped cut, such as an Asscher or princess cut.

Don’t focus on carat weight: Instead of focusing on the size of the diamond, focus on an engagement ring that looks good on your finger and matches your style. You want a diamond that looks good on your finger, and a larger diamond doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s going to look good on your hand. Try not to obsess over the carat weight because you can always upgrade if you want to later. Also remember that there are 4 Cs that go into selecting a diamond, not only the carat weight.
Ask an expert: If you have questions about anything related to lab-made diamonds or engagement rings, With Clarity has expert gemologists on staff who can help answer all the questions you might have about earth-mined and lab-made diamonds. They also can help you pick the right diamond size based on your preferences and budget and answer any questions. They’re available via text, phone, or email.

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