After some trial and error, I have found the cheapest and most convenient way, in my opinion, to optimize price for size on common cut shape diamonds, colors D to K, is through the online wholesale diamond brokers, like Rare Carat or Calavera Diamonds. This is not to say that is THE cheapest and easiest way to optimize all diamond quality and size for price, especially if you are after uncommon cuts, vintage, or colored stones. I am certainly welcome to any feedback or tips here, but I have yet to come across anyone who has been able to find a cheaper standard natural diamond stone source.
The key with Rare Carat is knowing how to filter your search and understand how the 4 C’s of diamond specifications actually work. Ignore everything every jeweler has ever said to you from here on out!
Step 1. Find your desired center stone cut and size using diamdb.com
This could also mean going into a local jeweler / retailer and trying on stones on your finger to get an idea of what shapes and sizes (DIMENSIONS IN MM, NOT CARAT) you like best on your finger. My favorite, however, is to go to diamdb.com and enter rough stone dimensions in there (depth doesn’t matter at first, you’re just getting a feel for how the stone looks in a solitaire setting on your finger). Use the images to size your finger to the screen and add any details of the ring (halo, toi et moi, bezel) using screenshots and photoshop if you wish. Contact me on IG @elodies_fine_jewelry if you want free help! I love this kind of stuff.
IMPORTANT NOTE! At all costs, IGNORE everything you have ever heard about carat size. Despite what everyone is led to believe, carat size is actually the least important of all Cs to consumers. To jewelers, it is their focus because diamonds generally are priced by carat weight, not face-up surface area. If they won’t give you the stone dimensions in store, pull out your smartphone, download a ruler app, and put that sucker on there and write down your favorite stones’ dimensions in mm. Then ignore everything the jeweler said, including price points and anything they said about color or carat and walk out. Especially if you are sure you want a natural and they start spouting things about you not being able to afford the size unless it’s a synthetic (lab grown). You’re done there.
Here are both diamonds I currently own compared to one another on diamdb.com:
Notice how the 1.31 carat oval cut LOOKS larger than the 1.9 carat emerald cut? It quantitatively verifiably has a larger face-up area. You are getting a massive looking stone for the price of a 1.31 carat diamond, which is a huge savings.
Step 2. Decide stone specifications on diamondsizecharts.com
Once you have your rough size estimate for your finger in mm, you’ll need to figure out how to filter Rare Carat for the most optimally priced high quality stone of your liking.
Dimensions:
For example, my 1.90 ct emerald cut, its 8.40mm length falls into the 2 – 2.3 ct range. Specifically, if you calculate it proportionally, it’s 2×8.4/8.1 = 2.07 ct equivalent length. (Since I personally enjoy skinnier ratio diamonds, I do not follow the ideal width range listed in the last column. My emerald is a 1.45 ratio, slightly higher than the 1.4 ideal length to width ratio). For a classic tennis court cut ratio, you’d want to be around between 1.3-1.4, but I’ll cover than in the emerald cut guide.
For my 1.31 ct oval cut, its 9.29mm length falls in the 1.65-1.80 ct range, which is a huuuge increase in its appearance vs. weight! Its specific calculated equivalent size is 1.65×9.29/8.90 = 1.72 carat appearance! So for the price of a 1.31 ct diamond, you are getting 0.41 carats extra in face-up area.
So, for example, you could pick a beautiful VVS1 K 1.37 ct 9.24mm x 6.17mm for $4383, which looks almost the exact same as another stone, VVS2 K 1.50 ct 9.27mm x 6.20mm with a price of $5588. But you can save the extra $1205!
Clarity:
Cut shape is the most important deciding factor for the minimum acceptable specifications of your stone. For most stones, I would search K+ color and SI1+ clarity as well as excellent cut, symmetry and polish.
Cushion and Emerald cuts likely should start at VS2 clarity though, due to the more open tables and chunkier facets. You need them to be eye clean, and they will also show color more easily due to less reflection of facets that other stones have, which hides the color in flashes of light. You can certainly still get away with a K if you are optimizing for size and setting in a yellow or rose gold due to the contrast of the stone in the colored metal. You are not likely to find a SI1 diamond in emerald that does not have visible inclusions to the naked eye. Check my specific cut guides to give you more specific details on what to look out for in each cut shape!
The most important filter on Rare Carat or any wholesaler site using my method is the Length filter, not carat size.
Back to Rare Carat (or Calavera) filters, leave carat size filter alone, input the longest side of your desired stone size in mm on the slider and search! [Bonus tip: you can also filter for GIA only stones, which have the strictest grading for highest quality stones and also check the box if you want only stone pics/videos. I personally wouldn’t buy a stone without a video at least!]
SUMMARY
My Top 10 Specification Filter Recommendations on Rare Carat / Calavera:
1. Color: K+
2. Clarity: SI1+ (or VS2+ for step cuts or cushions)
3. Carat: Do Not Touch!
4. Cut: Excellent+
5. Price: Do Not Touch, or set your ceiling budget limit
6. Polish: Excellent
7. Symmetry: Excellent
8. Length: Your Stone’s Minimum Desired Length
9. Strongly recommend turning off IGI stones (or any non-GIA labs)
10. Strongly recommend checking the box for “Image or Video Available”
Hit Go!
Step 3. Compare filtered stones on Rare Carat or Calavera based on your budget.
Let’s use an example. Let’s say you love the way 7.2-8mm solitaire round cut looks on your finger on diamdb and/or in person. On the diamond size chart, that equates to the look of a 1.5 – 2 ct. Given the filter criteria: K+, SI1+, triple excellent (cut/symmetry/polish), and length of 7.2mm+, GIA only and image/videos only, your cheapest stone listed is $2,811:
You inspect the stone, and see that SI1 does not appear to be eye clean… don’t sacrifice that, because you will be looking at that speck in the table for your entire life. Get something that looks expensive and high quality, but saves you the wallet punch. That’s my optimization method. Keep looking!
What you really should do here is reduce the length filter to 0.2-0.5mm less, which is a virtually indistinguishable difference in reality. I reduced the length to 7.14mm and found a beautiful stone!
This round is 7.14mm x 7.19mm, so faces up 1.5ct, but it’s actually a 1.41 $2,798 K SI1 RC Ideal cut (triple excellent with ideal dimensions). You’re not saving a huge amount here, so not the best example, but it’s a good way to look at how to reduce the price without losing the dimensions. Even though it’s SI1, that stone is certainly undoubtedly eye clean and probably has more sparkle than a flawless stone due to the interesting colorless inclusions that reflect repeatedly in its facets.
Now, of course, you may want to set the stone in white gold or platinum, in which case a K color may not be fit for your tastes. Sliding color up to a J increases minimum price listed at $3,406. And sliding up to an I color is now $4,470 starting price. You get the idea. Color is a biiiiig factor in pricing.
Check my guides for each specific cut shape to give you a more in-depth detailed instruction on how to pick the right stone to maximize finger coverage for price.