Imagine you’ve found two high-quality diamond rings. They’re both the same style, and the diamonds have a D color, VS1 clarity, and ideal cuts, meaning that they’re stunning diamonds. However, there are two key differences between these diamonds. The first is that one is 1.5 carats, and the other is two carats. The larger diamond costs significantly more than the smaller one.

You’re left scratching your head about which one represents the better deal. After all, you will be able to notice a slight physical size difference, but the 0.5 carat increase doesn’t represent a massively huge change between the two. So when it comes to 1.5-carat diamond rings vs. 2-carat diamond rings, which one should you purchase? We’ve got the answers right here.

1.5-carat diamonds can be elegant and wonderfully impressive, depending on their overall quality. When combined with a beautiful ring setting, these diamonds can be effortlessly dramatic and inspiring.

They’re larger than your average diamonds, and their size will most likely represent a larger price than your average diamonds as well, but this will also be affected by their color, clarity, and cut quality. Like all diamonds, not all 1.5-carat diamonds are created equal, with some looking dramatically more impressive than others.

This diamond pictured above is a 1.528 carat H VS1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Diamond. Due to it being part of our A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows brand, it’s a precision cut diamond with fantastic light performance that would look perfect adorning any engagement ring.

So what kind of rings go best with 1.5 carats?

In our opinion, a 1.5 carat diamond will go with any ring. It’s ultimately about personal preference and the kind of budget you’re working with. However, here are a few examples that we think are truly gorgeous.

Halo engagement rings are unique in their design as they surround the central diamond with a ring of smaller diamonds, expanding visual size by creating the stunning ‘halo’ effect that gives these rings their name. The above example is a 14k White Gold Verragio Renaissance Diamond Engagement Ring, which features round brilliant-cut diamond melee elegantly encircling the center stone. Exquisite detailing adorns the shoulders of the band, with another diamond embedded in the gallery of the setting.

1.5-carat diamonds suit halo engagement rings best due to their size. A 2-carat diamond may look simply too big when surrounded by smaller diamonds, which could result in it looking a bit top-heavy.

For the same reason, we believe that 1.5-carat diamonds also look perfect when used in a three-stone engagement ring. They look charming and royal when combined with two smaller counterparts, with some saying that they are the very epitome of elegance.

This delightful example is a 14k White Gold Ritani Three-Stone Engagement Ring. With a clean, minimalist band, the three-stone arrangement is brought to the fore. All eyes will be on those diamonds when worn on the finger of a loved one.

As we’ve said, carat relates to diamond weight, so a 2-carat diamond will be equivalent to 200mg. Now, diamonds will appear bigger or smaller depending on both their carat weight and their cut. For example, a pear-shaped diamond that weighs 2 carats may appear bigger than a round brilliant diamond of the same carat because of its length.

More dramatically, the quality of the cut and clarity will affect how large the diamond appears. If two diamonds have the same carat weight, and one has an ideal cut, while the other has a commercial cut, the ideal cut will look larger. This is due to edge-to-edge brightness and the increased light performance of the high-quality cut.

The diamond in the image above is a 2.011 carat H VS1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Diamond, available here at Whiteflash. Finding a diamond of this size, clarity, and cut quality is incredibly rare, which will appeal to discerning diamond buyers looking for the best in light performance. This diamond truly is a head turner, making it more impressive than a 1.5-carat diamond.

You can find more information on 2-carat diamond rings on our education page here.

When considering a setting, you need to consider how a specific style will look with the size of your diamond. In contrast to our two examples previously, here are two setting styles that will complement the size of a 2-carat diamond.

Solitaire engagement rings are probably the most popular style of engagement ring being purchased today. Their style is the most classic form of engagement ring, where the center diamond is the true star of the show.

For 2-carat diamonds, solitaire engagement rings are the perfect choice for truly showing off the size and beauty of the diamond you’ve chosen. This 18k White Gold Tacori Dantela Crescent Motif Solitaire Engagement Ring is a fantastic example of just how impressive a diamond can be when paired with the right setting.

Pave engagement rings stand out from others through their use of a very intricate design where fully-faceted diamonds are embedded very close together in the band itself, creating a solid surface of running diamond brilliance.

This 18k White Gold Simon G. Fabled Diamond Engagement Ring illustrates why a 2-carat diamond would look so beautiful when paired with pave. The diamond melee seems to lead up to the center stone, as if paving the way for something extraordinary.

First of all, diamond carat isn’t the be-all and end-all when it comes to purchasing diamonds. For example, let’s imagine you find two diamond rings:

So which one would you purchase? We would recommend going for the second, smaller diamond, as this has a much higher quality clarity and cut, meaning it will more than likely have more sparkle and be more beautiful. A discerning diamond buyer will understand that performance characteristics are far more valuable than just diamond size. It’s been said that “choosing a diamond by the carat is like choosing a race horse by its weight”!

However, if you find two diamond rings that contain similarly high-quality diamonds, it might be worth purchasing the larger diamond if it is in your budget. This is because a diamond with such high-quality characteristics that weighs 2 carats is rare to find, and certainly impressive. However, they will come at a high price, and we would never recommend stretching your budget past what you can afford.

Overall, the main differences you will find between a 1.5 and a 2-carat diamond are:

Prices of diamonds in the 1.5-carat and 2-carat range vary considerably based upon color, clarity and all important cut quality.. It’s very possible to find fabulous diamonds throughout this range. And dealing with a company that has a great trade-up policy gives you the opportunity to get a great quality while staying in budget today, with the option of upgrading to a larger stone in the future. 1.5-Carat Diamond Rings vs. 2-Carat Diamond Rings: Our Final Recommendations In truth, both rings with 1.5 carat diamonds or 2-carat diamonds make great choices. A 2-carat diamond isn’t necessarily better than a 1.5 carat, especially if the two diamonds possess the same quality characteristics. In such a circumstance, the biggest difference is price.

The most important consideration you have to determine is which one your budget allows for. Overall, you will notice a small difference in size between a 1.5-carat diamond and a 2-carat diamond, which is the characteristic that some shoppers get caught up in.. But remember, while both are an impressive size, a 2-carat stone can cost up to twice the amount of a 1.5-carat.

And size isn’t everything. If the larger diamond doesn't have great light performance it’s not worth purchasing. If it doesn’t have the proper documentation from either the AGS or the GIA, it’s not worth purchasing. If it has a low color or clarity grade, it’s not worth purchasing. As you can see, purchasing a diamond engagement ring is not a straightforward process, but requires a bit of education and some determination.

To find exciting and beautiful diamond rings, the first thing you need to do is find the right diamond. Here at Whiteflash, we have an incredible selection of the finest quality diamonds on the market today. Diamonds in our A CUT ABOVE, Expert Selection, and Premium Select categories are in-stock, ready for immediate purchase, and can be found exclusively at Whiteflash.