A 2 carat diamond ring contains a center stone weighing two carats (1.98 - 2.02 ct.), equivalent to 0.4 grams (400 milligrams). If it's a round brilliant cut diamond, then it measures about 8.1 mm in diameter.
However, the appearance and measurements of fancy-shaped diamonds vary stone-by-stone. The actual size of a 2-carat diamond varies depending on the proportions. This understanding is essential to ensure your two-carat diamond looks proportional to the carat weight.
The diamond may look smaller than 2-carats if the total depth exceeds sixty-two percent. For example, the center stone in a 2 carat ring might appear closer to 1.95 carats if the total depth measurement is too deep.
Brilliant Earth Emerald-cut 2-carat ring.
In that event, you are paying for carat weight hidden in depth rather than being visible as outside diameter. Consequently, it pays to adhere to the proportions we recommend in this tutorial.
Top Picks for a 2 Carat Diamond Ring
2.83 carat, Blue Nile GIA Excellent Cut.
This Black by Brian Gavin Diamond represents the Pinnacle of Diamond Cutting today. The Ultimate in Light Performance and Sparkle Factor.
2.13 carat, Black by Brian Gavin Diamond.
This James Allen True Hearts diamond exhibits a high volume of light return and a virtual balance of brilliance and dispersion.
2.06 carat, James Allen True Hearts Diamond.
This Blue Nile GIA Excellent cut diamond should exhibit a high volume of light return and a virtual balance of brilliance and dispersion.
Shopping for a 2 Carat Ring
In the event that you're shopping for a 2-carat diamond ring, there is one thing to keep in mind. Namely that the proportions and degree of optical precision will dictate the sparkle factor. In other words, the sparkle of your diamond solitaire engagement ring is a result of the optical precision.
Brian Gavin Signature Diamond 2 Carat Ring.
With that in mind, I'm going to show you exactly what proportions to look for in a two-carat diamond ring. In addition, you'll learn How to Use Advanced ASET and H&A Scope images to determine the degree of optical precision.
After all, I know that you want to buy the most spectacular-looking 2 carat ring possible. At the same time, you want the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you're making a good decision.
With that in mind, you need to have all the diamond details at your fingertips. In which case, I highly recommend Brian Gavin Signature diamonds because they provide the most in-depth analysis.
How Big Is a Two Carat Diamond?
In the first place, the size or visible surface area of a two-carat diamond is not set in stone. In other words, one 2-carat diamond solitaire might look bigger than another. That's because the total depth of the diamond is going to affect the visible outside diameter. With that in mind, I recommend keeping the total depth between 59 - 61.8% to maximize the visual impact.
Black by Brian Gavin Diamond.
As a matter of fact, a 2-carat round brilliant-cut diamond should have an average outside diameter around 8.1 mm. For example, this 2.018 carat, F-color, VVS-2 clarity, Black by Brian Gavin diamond measures 8.09 - 8.10 x 4.99 mm.
In order to determine the average outside diameter, you add the two diameter measurements together and divide by two. For example 8.09 + 8.10 = 16.19 / 2 = 8.095 mm average outside diameter.
Consequently, the precision of the hearts pattern on the left enables us to judge the degree of optical precision. Spoiler Alert: Black by Brian Gavin Diamonds are the absolute very best (more on that farther down the page).
How Much Does a 2 Carat Diamond Weigh?
In the first place, a carat is the unit of measurement used to describe diamond carat weight. Secondly, 1.00 carats is roughly equal to 0.2 grams, or 0.007 ounces (avoirdupois). With that in mind, a 2.00 carat diamond weighs about 0.4 grams, or 0.014 ounces (avoirdupois).
Although this may be true, we generally don't refer to diamond carat weight in grams. Rather, we describe diamonds in the percentage of carat weight, grains, or points.
As a matter of fact, the first concept is rather easy to grasp, e.g. half-a-carat or two-carats. However, it can be a bit more challenging to figure out what a 4-grain or 99-point diamond weighs.
Thankfully, it's a lot easier than you might imagine because a 1-carat diamond weighs 4-grains or 100 points. With that in mind, the 99-point diamond above weighs is just short of 1.00 carats. After all, there are 100 points in a carat and it weighs only ninety-nine points. Under those circumstances, a two carat diamond weighs 200 points or eight grains.
How Big Is A Two Carat Diamond On Hand?
Examples of Carat Weight by Brian Gavin.
In the event that a picture is worth a thousand words, the picture on the left is worth its weight in gold. After all, it provides a great visual reference for round brilliant cut diamonds weighing between 0.50 - 3.00 carats.
As stated previously, the average diameter of a 2-carat round diamond is approximately 8.10 millimeters. According to the Measure of Things, that's about five times thicker than a piece of spaghetti.
As a matter of fact, apparently that's about six-and-a-half times as long as a grain of sand. Although that might be true, it's probably not a helpful visual reference for how a 2 carat ring will look on your hand.
With that in mind, I'm going to say that a 2-carat diamond will face-up somewhere between a pencil and a AAA battery. Whereas the diameter of an AAA battery is around 10.1 mm.
The pink eraser on a standard #2 pencil measures about 6.50 mm in diameter. In fact, that is about the same size as a one carat round brilliant cut diamond. Of course, the diamond is going to look even bigger once you set it in a solitaire setting. That's because the addition of the prongs is going to add brightness to the perimeter.
Two Carat Diamond Prices
In the first place, there are quite a few things that factor into the price of a 2 carat diamond. Although this may be true, not least of them is the carat weight. As a matter of fact, there is a substantial price increase that occurs between the 1.99 - 2.00 cart marks.
With that in mind, you might consider buying a 1.80 - 1.99 carat diamond because it's not going to look that much smaller than a 2 carat ring. At the same time, the degree of diamond cut quality can affect the price of a 2 carat diamond by sixty percent. In which case, a super ideal cut 2 carat diamond will cost more than one that is standard ideal.
In the same fashion, a Porsche GT3 RS is going to cost more than a standard Porsche 911 non-turbo. At the same time, the GT3 RS is going to offer a higher degree of performance. Under those circumstances, you have to decide what level of performance you're looking for in a round brilliant diamond.
As an illustration of that concept, let's take a closer look at the three Hearts and Arrows cut diamonds below:
Black by brian gavin
$
24,682.00
cash/wire
black by brian gavin
$
43,430.00
cash/wire
Comparing Apples to Oranges
Given the price difference between these three options, you're probably wondering which one is the best diamond solitaire engagement ring. After all, we're talking about a difference of $18, 748.00 and that's not exactly pocket change.
At the same time, there is a difference in carat weight to consider. As a matter of fact, the difference in outside diameter between the largest and smallest diamonds is only 0.43 mm. Obviously, that's not something that you're going to see from across the dinner table. However, the difference in the degree of light leakage between these diamonds is readily apparent in the reflector scope images:
As a matter of fact, the James Allen True Hearts diamond on the right is showing a moderate amount of light leakage. Consequently, that is what the light pink/semi-transparent sections visible under the table facet indicate.
Whereas the two Black by Brian Gavin diamonds show a higher degree of light return. At the same time, the light appears to be reflecting more evenly/consistently in the Blacks. As a matter of fact, this is not surprising since Brian Gavin is a fifth-generation diamond cutter. In addition, he's the only cutter with a patent for maximizing light performance in the modern round brilliant cut diamond.
Where to Buy a 2 Carat Diamond Ring
In the first place, the biggest challenge buying a 2 carat diamond solitaire is balancing sparkle factor and price. After all, the degree of cut quality and optical precision can affect price by up to 60%. In which case, the price of a 2 carat ring can vary dramatically depending on the cut quality.
With that in mind, you'll have to decide whether standard GIA Excellent or AGS Ideal-0 are good enough. Of course, I'm guessing that you want a 2-carat white gold solitaire that is truly outstanding. In which case, I suggest that you limit your search to the Hearts and Arrows diamonds classification.
H&A Diamond Dealers
Consequently, these H&A diamonds with proportions within my preferred range are well within the Top 0.001% of the annual production for round diamonds.
Whereas a standard ideal cut diamond with the same proportions but a lesser degree of optical precision is more like the Top 1%. While this might not seem like much of a difference, rest assured that it has major impacts on performance. After all, look at the difference in light return between the James Allen vs Black by Brian Gavin diamonds shown above.
Where to Buy 2 Carat GIA Excellent Cut Diamonds
Here are the best places to buy a 2 carat diamond solitaire with a GIA Excellent rating:
Of course, I recommend limiting your search to diamonds with these proportions. After all, that way you'll have a better chance of finding a 2-carat diamond that exhibits superior light performance.
At the same time, these vendors offer practically every type of solitaire setting. Plus, they offer a lot of other styles of engagement rings in all the popular alloys:
Of course, you'll also find a wide selection of anniversary and wedding rings. In addition, they all offer generous inspection periods that range between 10 to 30 days.
Lab-grown 2 Carat Diamonds
Obviously, the price of a 2 carat lab-grown diamond is going to be less than one that is natural. At the same time, the rumors that lab-grown diamonds are the same as natural diamonds are greatly exaggerated.
As a matter of fact, there have been a lot of articles about the benefits of lab-grown diamonds lately. However, most of them fail to recognize the differences between lab-grown and natural diamonds. With that in mind, I encourage you to read that in-depth tutorial before buying a lab-created diamond.
Best Places to Buy 2-carat Lab-grown Diamonds:
In the event that you are considering a lab-grown diamond, there are some things that you might want to consider. To begin with, the price of lab-created diamonds is probably going to decrease with time. After all, the cost of producing lab-grown diamonds becomes less and less with each passing day.
At the same time, I urge you to carefully consider the trade-in policies of the different vendors. As a matter of fact, the majority of companies selling lab-grown diamonds do not accept them for trade-in purposes. With this in mind, you should check with customer service and review the trade-in policy.
Choosing a Diamond Shape
Obviously, two-carat diamonds are readily available in every diamond shape, color, and clarity. With that in mind, we recommend reading these in-depth diamond buying guides for whatever shape you desire:
Of course, we also invite you to take advantage of our Free Diamond Concierge Service. In the event that you want a diamond that exhibits the best sparkle factor, we're your best resource. After all, we specialize in the niche of super ideal cut diamonds and light performance.
2 Carat Diamond Ring Styles
Obviously, choosing the ring is an integral part of shopping for 2 carat diamond engagement rings. Thankfully, there are is a plethora of options available regardless of what diamond shape you are looking for. Of course, you'll find settings for 2-carat diamond rings in all the popular alloys:
In the first place, you'll want to choose an alloy type that compliments your individual skin tone and preferences. Secondly, you'll want to remember that there are no hard and fast rules for what alloy type will look best. After all, everything is mostly a matter of personal preference and taste. With that in mind, you should choose the ring style and alloy combination that looks best for you.
At the same time, the color of the prongs or metal that holds the diamond in place is an important consideration. After all, the color of the metal that touches the edge of the stone will influence the perception of diamond color.
Generally speaking, setting a diamond in white metal prongs will make it appear to be about one color grade whiter. Whereas setting the same diamond in yellow or rose gold prongs will make it seem about one grade warmer. Although this may be true, the color of the setting itself is literally no consequence.
How to Pick a Setting (Video)
How to Pick the Ring that Says YOU by James Allen.
The Six Prong Fishtail Pavé Setting
As a matter of fact, the six prong Fishtail pavé setting by Brian Gavin is extremely popular with my clients. Consequently, the inspiration for the name lies in the fishtail pattern created by the pavé prongs.
Although this may be true, it's the sparkle factor of the accent diamonds that is going to take your breath away. After all, they are cut to the same incredible precision as larger Brian Gavin Signature diamonds. In which case, they are going to sparkle just as much as the center stone!
Another key point is that the accent diamonds run 3/4 of the way around the finger. In other words, the diamonds will cover the vast majority of the finger. However, the bottom portion of the ring is uncovered so that the ring can easily be sized.
In other words, you don't have to worry about outgrowing this ring in the future. After all, it can be sized easily without having to remove diamonds from the underside of the ring.
By the way, Brian Gavin's jewelry division is state-of-the-art and on the same floor as the diamond division. As a matter of fact, Brian Gavin can custom design your engagement ring to your exact specifications.
Tapered Baguette Setting
The tapered baguette setting from James Allen to the left is a timeless classic that is extremely popular. As you can see from this photograph, it has the clean look of a traditional solitaire. However, there are two tapered baguette shape diamonds to spice things up a bit.
As a matter of fact, this setting is also suitable for a pear shape, princess cut, and oval diamond. In addition, it is available in all the most popular alloy types and goes well with diamond eternity rings.
With that in mind, this is the perfect setting for a 2 carat diamond. However, it also looks great with everything from 0.50 carats and up. Consequently, you'll find ring styles similar to this from all the vendors that we work with.
After all, it is historically one of the most popular ring styles of all time. Second only to the traditional six-prong Tiffany style solitaire and halo setting.
Halo Settings
In this first place, this Anita Halo Setting for Emerald Cut Diamonds by Brian Gavin. Secondly, the Anita Halo setting is a personal favorite because it was designed for one of my clients. As a matter of fact, she was originally considering the French-set Halo from Ritani. However, she thought that the ring felt light on her finger.
In addition, there were additional design elements that Anita wanted to incorporate into her ring. Once Anita saw the spectacular sparkle factor of her Brian Gavin Signature diamond, she had them design her ring. Ultimately, the Anita Halo setting became one of the more popular Brian Gavin Signature settings. Obviously, the name of the design reflects her inspiration.
As can be seen there are lots of ring styles to choose from for two carat engagement rings. However, there are only so many designs we can review in one article on two carat diamond rings.
With that in mind, we invite you to take advantage of our Free Diamond Concierge Service. In which case, we will be able to provide you with a more personalized diamond buying experience.
