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A 3-carat diamond weighs 600 milligrams. This is true whether you purchase a naturally sourced or a lab-grown diamond. For those interested in a naturally sourced diamond, it is important to consider the shape as well as weight. If you want a 3-carat round brilliant diamond cut to serve as the center of a setting, it may be hard to find. In such cases, a lab-grown diamond may suit your needs better.
Size and Shape Options
Because a 3-carat diamond is quite large, you have several options as to the cut you choose as long as the diamond is the proper shape. If you don’t want to be limited by the shapes produced by nature or purchase a diamond that features inclusions, you may want to consider a lab-grown diamond purchase. Not only can you be sure that you will get the shape you want for your setting, but you can be certain they are ethically sourced.
Because a 3-carat diamond is quite large, you have many options in terms of your cut. For example, you can invest in an emerald-cut diamond of 3 carats and create a striking ring with just one stone. Depending on the taste of the recipient of your diamond, you may want to invest in a marquise cut or a more old-fashioned cushion cut.
Cost Considerations
How much is a 3-carat diamond? A single naturally sourced 3-carat round diamond of excellent quality from Rare Carat® will cost approximately $15,000. You will then be able to choose your design and get your ideal ring created, possibly with more stones in the setting, for additional investment.
A similar 3-carat round lab-grown diamond will cost around $4,000 if you purchase it loose from Rare Carat®. A lab-grown diamond is still a diamond. It is not possible to tell the difference between a lab-grown diamond and a naturally sourced diamond unless you have a jeweler’s tools and can see the base of the stone.
You may also choose to design a ring with a princess-cut diamond at the center. Like other loose diamonds you can purchase before creating your ring, loose princess-cut diamonds can be an ideal start. As cutters work to create the facets in these diamonds, they remove less of the rough stone overall than when shaping a round stone. You should expect to pay $15,000 for a naturally sourced 3-carat princess cut and about 1/3 that much for a lab-grown diamond.
Historical Information
The princess cut started out as the French cut and comes to us from the 14th Century. The princess cut as it’s currently known wasn’t designed until the 1960s, but by the 1980’s this stone had gained a great deal of popularity. Because this square stone uses more of the total raw diamond than a round cut, buyers were able to get quality naturally sourced princess-cut diamonds for less than they paid for round ones. It was also easier to come up with matching pairs for earrings and other settings.
Early lab-grown diamonds were used for industrial applications. They were made available to the public as valuable gemstones in the 1980s. In 2019, Meghan Markle wore a pair of lab-grown diamond earrings, further increasing the information about these stones and their popularity.
It is important to note that it’s not possible to buy a newly mined diamond that is not ethically sourced. Blood or conflict diamonds are no longer sold by reputable suppliers, though there are many of these diamonds both in circulation and on the black market. Current diamond suppliers who want to sell loose princess-cut diamonds or any other shape must be able to prove that the diamonds were not mined in a conflict zone.
Make Your Choice
No matter your budget, you want the most beautiful diamond that you can find to suit the taste of the person who will wear the gem. Because lab-grown gems are much less costly than those mined from the earth, it makes sense to start there. It’s also critical that you purchase your loose gems from a reputable supplier. The prices available from the Rare Carat Online Diamond Marketplace will catch your eye, but it is the reviews and guarantees offered by Rare Carat that will give you confidence. This trustworthy company will work with you from the first diamond to the finished ring and your jewelry will come with a lifetime warranty.
