Education

Why Two 3-Carat Diamonds Can Look Completely Different

This is something I explain to clients all the time.

They’ll send me two diamonds and say, “Danya, they’re both 3 carats. Why does this one look so much bigger?”

The answer is simple: carat is weight. It isn’t size.

Think about two people who weigh exactly the same. They don’t necessarily have the same height or proportions. Diamonds are a little like that.

A diamond can carry quite a lot of its weight underneath, in its depth, where you’re not actually seeing it. Another diamond of exactly the same carat weight can have more of that weight spread across the top, so when you look at it on the hand, it appears noticeably bigger.

Then you have shape.

A 3-carat round won’t look like a 3-carat oval. An emerald cut won’t look like a pear or a marquise. And even two 3-carat ovals can look completely different from each other.

This is why I’m always talking about proportions and ratio.

One oval might be quite wide and soft-looking. Another might be longer and more elongated. Personally, I love an elongated stone, but there’s a point where too elongated isn’t necessarily better. Everything has to feel balanced.

And please don’t choose a diamond just because it has the biggest measurements on paper.

I want to see how it actually performs. Does it have life? Does it have dark areas? Is the bow-tie too strong? Are the proportions beautiful? How does it look in normal light, not just under jewelry-store lighting?

The certificate is important, of course. But it doesn’t tell you everything.

So when you’re comparing two 3-carat diamonds, don’t just ask me which one is bigger.

Ask me which one I would choose.

Because you’re not going to walk around wearing the certificate.

You’re going to wear the diamond.

Danya
Founder, Stellar Gems