Secrets About Flat Carat Weights No One Else Will Tell You

I’m pretty sure that while researching and seeking for a diamond ring, this burning question may frequently pop up in your mind: What carat weight should I be getting?

Although the carat weight doesn’t equate to how much you actually love her, a flat carat weight just isn’t worth it. Now, it all boils down to this one question: What exactly is a flat carat weight?!

In the diamond industry, carat weights are categorized into different classifications, where it provides retailers a rough estimate on how their prices should be. According to each classification, diamonds will belong to different pricing brackets.

To give you a visual idea of how the classification works, I will include a sample diamond rapaport report. The Rapaport report is used in the diamond trade to price diamonds. It serves as a price guide and tracks price fluctuations. Diamonds are priced in different pricing brackets, such as 0.30-0.39ct, 0.40-0.49ct, 0.50-0.69ct, 0.70-0.89ct, 0.90-0.99ct, 1.00-1.49ct, etc.

For this example, we will use a 0.99ct and a 1.00ct diamond. Below is a screenshot of the pricing brackets for diamonds in the 0.90-0.99ct and 1.00-1.49ct. The diamond details are further categorized in different Colours (rows) and Clarity (columns). The numbers are the cost of the diamond by the hundreds in USD, per carat. So for example, a 0.99ct D IF diamond, would cost 0.99 X 15,200 = USD 15,048. However, do note that diamonds are usually traded in discounts, and this figure does not reveal the quality of the diamond at all. Naturally, poorly cut diamonds would be traded as bigger discounts compared to better cut quality.

Now let’s compare the prices of a 0.99ct D IF and a 1.00 D IF (assuming they are in the same cut quality). By using the Rapaport pricing, we will get;

0.99 D IF – USD 15,048

1.00 D IF – USD 27,500

There is a whopping USD 12,452 price difference, just for that 0.01ct!! Doesn’t that sound crazy?!

This huge disparity of price is largely due to the carat weight going up to the next higher pricing bracket (i.e. 0.90-0.99ct category to 1.00ct-1.49ct category).

I’ll give you a minute to let this sink in: a flat carat weight (i.e. 0.50, 0.70ct etc.) simply doesn’t give you the value you think you are getting. If you were to go into any local jewellery store or even a branded one, they probably wouldn’t tell you about flat carat weights. These flat carat weights don’t give good value as you are paying a premium to hit the border of the next pricing bracket. Hence, if you’re looking at a 1.00ct, you’re much better off getting a 0.9ct++ or a 1.0Xct+ (since you’re already paying a premium to belong to the 1.00-1.49ct bracket).

Furthermore, if your diamond has any durability issues (i.e. a feather at the edge of the diamond), and you accidentally chip the diamond and lose 0.01ct, your diamond’s value will drop to the next bottom pricing bracket, where you’ll lose significant value. Your local jewellery store won’t tell you this either. 

Nevertheless, don’t be too quick to get her a 0.99ct Carat sizes such as 0.69, 0.89. 0.99, etc., also known as premium carat weights, are extremely rare to come by.

It is extremely hard to find a premium carat weight in the market simply because diamond cutters also know that they will earn more should their diamonds fall into the next higher classification. They often try to force the diamonds to the next pricing category because the diamonds belonging to the next higher pricing bracket can be sold for much more (even if the cut quality is poorer).

For example, if they have a rough diamond, that can either cut out a Super Ideal Cut 0.99ct or a 1.00 poorly cut diamond, they would choose the 1.00ct in a heartbeat. Even though the 1.00ct is poorly cut, they can get a much better profit since it’s in the next pricing bracket.

However, that doesn’t mean that these 0.99ct sizes don’t exist at all! In any event that you find yourself looking at a diamond of a premium carat weight in any jewellery store, it usually comes in bad proportions with questionable light performance.

This happens because when profit-driven diamond cutters are presented with a rough diamond, it makes sense for them to cut a diamond with a larger carat weight without any regard for its proportions and light performance.

For example, a diamond cutter has a rough diamond that can be cut into either a, 0.91ct Super Ideal Cut or push to hit a 0.99ct but poorer quality. Similarly, most would aim for the 0.99ct as it can fetch a higher price. These diamonds are called ‘’forced carat weights’’.

So these are the secrets about flat carat weights you need to know before getting your engagement ring. If you have any inquiry, please feel free to email us at sales@jannpaul.com!

- JannPaul