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5 Carat Diamond Ring: Buying Guide

We strongly recommend only considering 5.00 carat weight diamonds with an ideal cut or Excellent grade cut on the GIA scale. Be sure to purchase your stone from a prominent diamond dealer that offers a GIA or ASG certification with every diamond. Because of the exceptional carat weight, 5.00 carat diamonds have tremendous capacity for brilliance, sparkle and fire. For color, choose a diamond that falls between G-I . For clarity, we recommend looking at diamonds within the VS1 or VS2 grades.

A stunning, well cut 5.00 carat diamond will turn heads and make your loved one feel extraordinary. But buying any 5.00 carat diamond won't get you the results you want. You could buy a Poorly cut, dull 5.00 carat diamond or one that's exceptional. Diamonds of the same carat weight differ dramatically in their overall beauty and appearance. When we refer to 5.00 carat diamonds, we're talking about the weight of the diamond, not its size. 5.00 carat is equal to 1 gram.

Round Cut Diamond Sizes

Round cut diamond sizes (Diamond images are for reference only).

5.00 Carat Diamond Ring - Pricing

It's important to understand that all diamonds are priced per carat. For instance, a 4.08 carat diamond might be priced at $14,000 per carat. The diamond's price is $14,000 x 4.08, equaling $57,120.

Diamond prices per carat also increase as weight 'categories' increase. For example, a 2.00 carat diamond might be priced at $7,400 per carat, while a similar 3.00 carat diamond might be $9,900 per carat. The price per carat increases exponentially with weight for two reasons: the diamond's higher weight value and the higher price per carat within the weight category.

Take note of each weight 'category,' as prices per carat don't continually increase as weight increases. Diamond prices are generally driven more by emotion than reason.

While it may seem advantageous to search for a diamond that's just below a new weight category such as a 4.90 or 4.95 carat diamond that isn't true anymore. Diamond cutters have become more efficient at their job and it's incredibly rare to find a well cut 4.90 diamond.

In addition, the search for an "almost" 5.00 carat diamond has become increasingly popular. This popularity elevates the prices of those particular diamonds making the price difference nominal. Ultimately, you can search for a 4.90 ct+ diamond, but we suggest not doing this specifically, as you're severely limiting your search potential without really saving anything.

If you're in the market for a 5.00 carat diamond, review this guide to learn how to select a stunning diamond instead of a dud. By understanding a few of the diamond fundamentals, you'll enjoy incredible payoff with the overall appeal and beauty of your stone.

Please also feel welcome to reach out to diamond experts. We strongly suggest this for those purchasing 4.00 carat and 5.00 carat diamonds. The higher your budget, the more you need to be aware of what makes an exceptional stone versus one that's lackluster.

5.00 Carat Diamond Ring - Where To Buy

5.00 carat diamonds, especially ones that are well cut, are scarce and rarely found in shops. If you find a 5.00 carat diamond in a jewellery shop, it's likely to be Poorly cut greatly reducing its overall brilliance and beauty.

By looking online you have a tremendous chance of finding an extraordinary 5.00 carat diamond at an excellent price point.

When selecting a diamond from your dealer, follow these expert recommendations:

Diamond Carat & Diamond Size - The Difference

Diamond carat and diamond size are frequently mistaken as meaning the same thing. Diamond carat, however, refers to the weight of the diamond whereas diamond size refers to how large it appears. A larger sized diamond doesn't mean it has a larger carat weight. The surface area of the table, the depth and other shape features are not impacted by carat weight. These aspects depend largely on diamond shape and how the diamond is cut both of which contribute to how large the diamond appears.

As an example, a 5.00 carat princess cut diamond ring may appear larger than a 5.00 carat round brilliant diamond ring. The size of each stone appears different, even though the carat weights are nearly the same. When it comes to choosing the shape, size and carat of your diamond, review several options to determine which diamonds are most appealing to you.

Clarity

A diamond's 4Cs (Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat) impact its beauty and brilliance in varying ways.

Diamond clarity is a metric that grades the visual appearance of each diamond. The less blemishes and inclusions, the better the clarity grade.

The GIA grades clarity on the following clarity chart from best to worst:


Clarity Clarity Description
FL Flawless: No inclusions under 10x. A stone that is completely flawless. This is an extremely rare find.
IF Internally Flawless: No internal imperfections. A stone that has no internal flaws at all but does have surface flaws. Also, an extremely rare find.
VVS1-VVS2 Very Very Slightly Included: A stone with very minute internal inclusions that are extremely difficult to see under a 10X magnification.
VS1-VS2 Very Slightly Included: A stone with very minor internal inclusions that range from difficult to somehwat easy see under a 10X magnification.
SI1-SI2 Slightly Included: A stone that has imperfections visible under X10 magnification and may be visible with the unaided eye.
I1-I3 Included: A stone that has significant inclusions most often visible with the naked eye. Inclusions of this level drastically bring down the diamonds value.

The GIA clarity chart.

While clarity can significantly impact a diamond's beauty, most imperfections can't be recognized by the naked eye. You should closely review the diamond yourself to determine if any imperfections are visible. Have an expert assist you in order to avoid spending too much on a characteristic that will go unnoticed.

The difference between two grades, such as VS1 and VS2, are rarely noticed by the naked eye, although the price can differ significantly. Assuming all else is equal, an eye-clean diamond that's graded lower than a flawless diamond will look identical. The difference is just in the price.

For 5.00 carat diamonds, we suggest a minimum of a VS2 clarity due to their significant carat weight. To the naked eye, most imperfections are invisible at this grade.

To maintain a reasonable spend in the area of clarity, the highest we generally recommend is a VVS2 diamond, as no blemishes or inclusions will be noticeable. Overall, you should be looking for an eye-clean diamond. Enlist the help of an expert if you're not completely confident.

Shape

You can find stunning 5.00 carat diamonds in almost any diamond shape or at least have one custom cut for you. The shape you choose should be based on the personal preference and style of the wearer.

If a larger appearance is important, it may be helpful to consider the table surface areas for each diamond shape.

The chart below lists the table surface size for each shape:


Diamond Shape Approximate Table Surface For 5.00 Carat
Round Brilliant Cut 11.11 x 11.11mm
Princess Cut 9.42 x 9.42mm
Emerald Cut 11.42 x 8.46mm
Asscher Cut 9.6 x 9.6mm
Radiant Cut 9.88 x 9.88mm
Cushion Cut 9.96 x 9.96mm
Oval Cut 13.88 x 9.25mm
Pear Cut 15.47 x 9.32mm
Heart Cut 11.22 x 11.22mm
Marquise Cut 17.76 x 8.88mm

5.00 carat surface area differences among diamond shapes.

Color

Diamond color is graded by the GIA on a scale from D to Z. D diamonds represent the most clear, colorless diamonds and Z indicates diamonds with a noticeable brown or yellow tint.

The difference between each single grade is primarily unnoticeable to the naked eye. Most people find it very difficult (if not impossible) to tell the difference from one color grade to another. The difference in price, however, can be significant.

Because the difference between color grades can be minimal, we recommend reviewing the diamond closely to ensure it appears colorless. What you notice with your naked eye is more important than the color grade. With advanced photography, you can look at diamonds up close even online.

You want to make sure the diamond also appears white in relation to its setting. A J graded diamond will appear white when paired with a darker setting, like one made of yellow gold or rose gold. The diamond, however, will likely appear tinted if placed in a white gold or platinum setting. On the other hand, an H diamond will appear colorless in any type of precious metal.

We recommend choosing a 5.00 carat diamond in the nearly colorless range of G to I. These diamonds appear clear and colorless to the naked eye and will cost much less than those in the D to F range.

Remember that cut is the element that most drastically impacts a diamond's beauty. With an exceptionally well cut diamond, the harder it is to notice color. We recommend spending more on diamond cut than diamond color, no matter the carat weight.

Value

Our goal is to help you find the most exceptional 5.00 carat diamond at an excellent price point. We want you to spend your budget where it truly matters and scale back in areas that will go unnoticed. Most importantly, we recommend reviewing every 5.00 carat diamond yourself or having an expert assist you.

Verify that any diamond you're considering comes with a certificate from a reputable source (GIA or AGS). If a seller is suggesting you purchase a diamond from a different grading entity, it's best to steer clear especially with 5.00 carat diamonds. No matter what the report claims, the actual quality of the diamond is far less than what the certificate states.

To ensure your 5.00 carat diamond is truly stunning, follow our expert recommendations:

Diamond Carat Sizes On Hand

You can see how different diamond carat sizes look on a hand below. When shopping, consider her hand size as well as her finger size. Keep in mind that most fancy diamond shapes like emerald, oval and pear will look larger on the hand than a round diamond of the same carat weight. Consider that once set within a ring, the diamond carat weight can look even larger, depending on ring style.

Below are round diamonds that measure 0.25 ct, 0.50 ct, 0.75 ct, 1.00 ct, 2.00 ct, 3.00 ct, 4.00 ct and 5.00 ct respectively.

0.25 ct

0.25 ct

0.50 ct

0.50 ct

0.75 ct

0.75 ct

1.00 ct

1.00 ct

2.00 ct

2.00 ct

3.00 ct

3.00 ct

4.00 ct

4.00 ct

5.00 ct

5.00 ct

Select Carat Weight

0.25 ct 0.50 ct 0.75 ct 1.00 ct 2.00 ct 3.00 ct 4.00 ct 5.00 ct

Diamond carat sizes on hand. (Diamond images are for reference only.)

Final Thoughts

Make the search for your 5.00 carat diamond ring easier by using our guide above.