1 Carat Round Diamond
Know the Value
Some may believe that all one carat diamonds have the same value, but this is not true. There are many intrinsic characteristics and unique attributes other than carat weight which will determine a diamond’s price. This is evident when you look at the average retail prices of diamonds by carat weight. 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. Retailers include labor costs, store profit, and other factors into their sales price. But when you are selling a diamond, its resale value is based only on the diamond’s intrinsic qualities as well as supply and demand. So when you want to know the price of a diamond, knowing the distinction between retail and resale value is important.
A diamond’s price is largely determined by its immutable characteristics – such as cut, color, clarity, carat weight, and fluorescence. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) developed the International Diamond Grading System™, which is the globally recognized golden standard for assessing a diamond’s unique qualities. However, Diamond Grading Reports aren’t always necessary to determine the price of a diamond. Highly trained diamond buyers, such as CIRCA, utilize GIA’s standards for diamond grading and will be able to determine the diamond’s characteristics after a physical inspection. It is the interpretation of this data by a professional diamond buyer, coupled with the current supply and demand for those attributes, which will determine the price of not only a one carat diamond, but diamonds of all shapes and sizes
The most well-known characteristics provided on a Diamond Grading Report are the 4Cs – cut, color, clarity, and carat weight.
But there are many other characteristics besides the 4Cs which will determine a diamond’s price. To see a full list of what diamond buyers looks for, see our GIA Diamond Grading Report guide for information.