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Evaluating the value of a natural diamond: What is the price for a 1 carat diamond?

What is a 1 Carat diamond?
It's a diamond that weighs 0.2 grams and has an average diameter of 6.4 millimeters when it is round in shape.

When you want to buy a diamond or sell one, knowing the price of the diamond is essential. But amidst terms like cut, clarity, or symmetry, one can easily feel lost and have difficulty estimating its price.

Follow our brief introduction, and natural diamonds will no longer be a mystery to you!

If you are planning to buy a diamond soon, read our guide on buying your first diamond, to avoid any mistakes!

What gives a diamond its value?

1 carat diamond price

Know that a 1 carat stone can cost as little as 2000€ or as much as over 15,000€.

The term carat is often used to characterize a diamond and its value, but remember that it is far from being the only element to estimate the value of your stone: Clarity, color or even cut are just as important elements (or even more, depending on what you are looking for).

The Carat

It is often mistakenly used to define the diamond's size, when it actually defines its mass. We know that 1 carat is a unit of weight that is equal to 0.20 gram.

Although a well-cut diamond usually has an approximate size for the same carat, keep in mind that 1 carat, round, will not always be exactly 6.4 millimeters in diameter.

>> Learn more about the diamond carat

Size correspondence chart for a 1 Carat diamond

The size of a diamond depends on its shape. For example, a round 1 carat diamond cut to ideal proportions measures about 6.4 mm in diameter. Other diamond shapes may have a larger or smaller surface area. Oval, pear, and marquise diamonds have a larger surface area, while princess cut and square emerald (asscher cut) diamonds are smaller, with a table size of about 5.5 mm.

Diamond Shape Approximate Table Surface for 1 Carat
Brilliant Round Cut 6.40×6.40mm
Princess Cut 5.50×5.50mm
Emerald Cut 6.50×5.00mm
Asscher Cut 5.50×5.50mm
Radiant Cut 6.00×5.50mm
Cushion Cut 6.50×5.50mm
Oval Diamond 8.00×5.50mm
Pear Shaped Diamond 8.50×5.50mm
Heart Shaped Diamond 6.70×6.70mm
Marquise Diamond 10.50×5.00mm
Trillion Diamond 7.74×7.74mm

The cut ("cut" in English)

Elle corresponds to the size of your diamond's head (its tail or tip, depending on how you prefer to call it!) in relation to its diameter. Its size will impact the reflection of light and is of great importance in the brightness, fire and sparkle your diamond will have.

The classification of this criterion ranges from "poor" to "excellent".

At Celinni, our diamond dealers are committed to finding you stones between "very good" and "excellent".

>> Learn more about the diamond cut

The color ("color" in English)

Elle is nothing other than the shade that your stone will have. Elle is classified into two categories:

- The colorless to slightly yellow ones which are the most common colors (classification from D to Z)

- The special colors or "Fancy color diamonds" which are colored diamonds (green, yellow, red, blue, purple, pink)

>> Read more about diamond colors

The clarity ("Clarity" in English)

Elle represents the presence (or not) of impurities that could tarnish your stone.

Here again, a classification has been put in place, from "I3" (many internal and external impurities visible to the naked eye) to FL (without internal and external imperfection).

The so-called "commercial" quality, which you will easily find in large stores, is H-SI (White on the edge of nuanced - Impurities that are "hardly" visible to the naked eye).

 >> Read more about diamond clarity

Need someone to (re) explain these terms to you in person, or to discuss with a diamond expert on the subject? Make an appointment for a free diamond initiation in one of our jewelry stores. Our team will be happy to guide and advise you.

The price of a 1 Carat natural diamond

You will therefore understand, there is not strictly speaking an estimate for a diamond with the only criterion being "1 carat". You will need more characteristics to estimate its price.

The table below shows the price ranges for diamonds of an ideal round stone (criteria "very good" or "excellent") of 1 certified carat.

Depending on the color and clarity, you can easily see the large price difference.

To read the table is simple: it is the average price per carat excluding taxes of a 1 carat diamond as it is negotiated between professionals on the different diamond exchanges in the world.

Chart of the price of a 1 carat diamond based on its quality

To have a simple reading of this table, each value is expressed in Euros excluding taxes per carat. For example, if you want to know the price of a 1 carat diamond as it is negotiated between professionals for the D / IF quality, the value will be 16900 Euros excluding taxes.

IF VVS1 VVS2 VS1 VS2 SI1 SI2 SI3 I1 I2 I3
D 16900 12300 9300 8600 8200 6300 5300 4800 4200 3300 1800
E 13800 11900 8500 7800 7400 5900 5200 4700 4100 2800 1600
F 12000 10800 8400 7700 7300 5700 5100 4600 4100 2800 1400
G 8800 8500 8300 7600 7100 5300 5000 4500 4100 2600 1600
H 7300 6800 6700 6300 5900 5000 4900 4400 3800 2300 1400
I 6200 5600 5500 5200 5000 4900 4300 3900 3400 1900 1300
J 5300 5200 5100 5000 4900 4800 3500 3300 3000 1400 1200
K 4800 4700 4600 4500 4100 3400 2900 2800 2700 1400 1200
L 4100 3700 3600 3500 3400 3300 2700 2600 2400 1500 1200
M 3200 3100 3000 2900 2800 2700 2600 2500 2400 1500 1200
N 3100 3000 2900 2800 2600 2300 2200 1800 1600 1500 1200

The price of the diamond is not enough to determine the price of the jewelry!

Keep in mind that the estimate of the price of a stone only includes the stone. You will need to add to this a setting (we recommend 18k gold or platinum).

To learn more, read the article: "Precious metals for your jewelry"

and take into account criteria such as the price of labor, the seller's margin, the quality of its customer service and after-sales service, even the reputation of the brand, depending on the structures!

Many elements that can come to be felt on your final bill.

By going through Celinni jewelers for your purchases, you benefit from direct manufacturer production, custom-made jewelry, support from our experts and controlled prices (up to -70% on market prices!).