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One carat is the most popular diamond weight (general or diamond size), and it is also the psychological threshold for many customers when purchasing diamond engagement rings. So what is the price range for a normal-quality one-carat diamond?
I believe everyone knows that diamond weight is only one of the factors that affects the price. Depending on the color, clarity, cut and fluorescence reaction, the price can vary from more than 10,000 Hong Kong dollars to more than 100,000 Hong Kong dollars.
At Miya Diamond, the price of a card of natural diamonds purchased by most customers is between HKD 35,000 and HKD 65,000. This is also the price range that we consider to be the most cost-effective.
From 2023 to the first half of the year, it has been roughly stable, with no obvious price difference. However, since the second half of the year, the price of natural diamonds has dropped significantly, and this article talks about the price based on September 2023.
Basic quality recommendations for 1 carat diamonds
To ensure that diamonds are of basic quality, we do not recommend diamonds priced at HK$10,000 to HK$25,000 per carat.
Here are our recommended entry qualities:
Clarity : SI2 or above (but need to avoid the diamond problem)
I didn’t choose I1 because according to experience, more than 90% of I1s have problems such as diamonds, chips or cracks.
Cut : Excellent
Cut affects the diamond diameter and scintillation. If you think this is not important, you can consider a poor cut.
Condition : D – J
Color does not have a big impact on scintillation, but if the color is too low, the diamond will look yellow. If possible, DG color is better.
But if the budget is not high, we think it is better to choose low fineness than too low clarity (below SI2).
Fluorescence reaction : Non – Med
The fluorescent light itself is not noticeable under daily lighting. The reason for not choosing too strong fluorescent light is to eliminate the problem of breast diamonds as much as possible. However, if the budget is limited, it is also a good choice to choose an appropriate one with a small amount of fluorescent reaction, and the price will be lower.
The first thing is to avoid the diamond trap. A moderate amount of black inclusions (commonly known as black flowers) are acceptable.
When it comes to clarity issues that need to be avoided most, milk diamonds definitely rank first. Because milky diamonds can cause diamonds to look cloudy and lack sparkle (you can read this article to learn more – Common Diamond Traps - Milky Diamonds ). Many customers and even experts who do not know much about diamonds will mistakenly think that diamonds are "bamboo products". Because the condition of a milk diamond is not clearly listed on the certificate, it requires senior experts to judge. Its inclusion distribution map is usually relatively "clean", and its price is often lower than that of diamonds of the same grade. In addition, people think that there is no diamond under a magnifying glass. Obvious inclusions must be high-quality diamonds. In fact, this type of diamond has the lowest value on the market, and I believe it will be very difficult to resell it in the future.
The second thing to avoid is chips or cracks caused by serious indented natural or feather. The third thing is obvious inclusions such as Etch Channel or Cavity that cause chips. Compared to the above situations, black flowers are a very common inclusion in SI clarity, and are acceptable as long as they are not obvious in the center of the table.
From time to time, I hear customers request that diamonds have no black flowers at all. We understand that there may be some misleading voices in the market, but in fact, black flowers are often not as bad as imagined. It is possible to exclude black flecks as much as possible for grades above VS1, but it is normal for diamonds to have black flecks in SI grade diamonds. As just mentioned, it is more acceptable than many inclusions.
In addition to clarity levels such as IF-VVS, diamonds must have a corresponding degree of inclusions. The acceptable levels are generally as follows:
Milk diamond<obvious chip or crack<large black flower<large transparent or white flower<small black flower<small transparent or white flower
Of course, this is not a generalization. In addition to referring to the above ranking, we must also comprehensively consider the location of the inclusions, whether they are visible to the naked eye, and the price difference.
Recommendations for one-card diamond grades under different price budgets
HKD 25,000 – HKD 35,000
1ct DG Si2 3EX Non
Normal quality at this level: more black flowers, slight flaws visible to the naked eye, high color and flickering
1ct D -F Si1 3EX Faint/Med
Normal quality at this level: a small amount of black flowers, slight flaws that are difficult to see with the naked eye, high color and flicker, suitable for customers who can tolerate fluorescent reactions
1ct IJ VS1 3EX Non
Normal quality at this level: little or no black flowers, clean to the naked eye, sparkling, suitable for customers who don’t have high requirements for color.
HKD3 5,000 – HKD4 0,000
1ct EG Si1 3EX Non
Normal quality at this level: a small amount of black flowers, slight flaws that are difficult to see with the naked eye, medium color and flickering
HKD4 0 000 – HKD 55 000
1ct DF VS2 3EX Non
Normal quality at this level: few or no black flowers, clean to the naked eye, high color and sparkle
1ct FG VS1 3EX Non
Normal quality at this level: few or no black flakes and clear surface, clean to the naked eye, medium color and flickering
1ct DF VS1 3EX Faint/Med
Normal quality at this level: few or no black flowers and clear surface, clean to the naked eye, high color and flashing, suitable for customers who can tolerate fluorescent reactions
HKD55000 – HKD65000
1ct DF VS1 3EX Non
Normal quality at this level: few or no black flakes, clear surface, clean to the naked eye, high color and sparkle
1ct DF VVS2 3EX Faint/Med
Normal quality at this level: few or no black flowers, clear surface, clean to the naked eye, flashing, suitable for customers who can tolerate fluorescent reactions
Summarize
The GIA diamonds sold by MiYa Diamond are all close to the cost price. It is almost impossible to find diamonds of the same grade but significantly lower prices on the market , unless they are inferior goods with hidden problems (especially milk diamonds). Therefore, it is very important to find a diamond store with good reputation and professional experience. You should also have reasonable expectations when looking for diamonds. The price definitely reflects the corresponding quality. If it is due to budget constraints, it is also a good choice to buy smaller diamonds (0.7-0.9 carat) to reduce the price!
