2.5 carat round diamonds are impressive to behold but if you’re not careful they can leave quite an impression on your wallet as well.
Did you know? The average price of a 2.5 carat round diamond is $31,750 for a round cut diamond but fancy shapes like oval, princess, emerald, and cushion cut diamonds can cost far less. Use our diamond search engine to see the data behind our price calculations.
Note: below we’ll discuss most recommendations in terms of round cut diamonds to keep things consistent, so assume that’s the type of diamond we’re talking about unless otherwise noted that we’re discussing a fancy cut like oval, emerald, princess, pear, or cushion cut.
Different Color Grades For 2.5 Carat Round Diamond
Larger diamonds require more attention to detail in terms of both color and clarity than smaller diamonds do and according to a 2018 study conducted by Daily Mail, the average diamond size that women consider “big” is 2.4 carats. So by definition, a 2.5 carat diamond requires extra special attention to detail.
So what color grades should you target for an icy white looking 2.5 carat diamond without blowing your budget?
The best color grades for a 2.5 carat diamond are I or H color because they maximize appearance without overspending on quality you cannot discern with the human eye. For example, can you tell the difference between the colorless 2.5 carat D color diamond for $42,000 and the 2.5 carat I color diamond for $22,000 below?
Can you guess which diamond is the D color and which is the I color based solely on the images?
However, even J color diamonds with faint or medium fluorescence can look crystal clear – especially once they’re set in an engagement ring setting. If you’re considering a yellow or rose gold engagement ring you could even go for a K color diamond since the darker setting color makes the diamond look relatively whiter than it normally would.
What do 2.5 carat diamonds look like with different color grades? Check out these images of 2.5 carat diamonds ranging from D – K color. Click on a diamond for more details.
Prices from top left to bottom right: $12,427 D color, $13,302 E color, $10,990 F color, $10,740 G color, $9,673 H color, $8,624 I color, $7,320 J color, $6,607 K color.
It’s difficult to see the differences between specific diamonds even when seen side-by-side in a grid like this one, and especially when viewed from above. However, if you view videos of the D color and K color diamonds next to each you can clearly tell the difference in a side view of the stones.
The difference in price is large though, ranging from $41,646 for the D-Color to $14,744 for the K-Color. Additionally, you can click on each of the images to get the prices and more details on the diamonds.
Given that round cut diamonds tend to hide color better than most fancy shapes, we generally recommend considering a higher (better) color grade for most fancy shapes than for round cut diamonds. How much better? Usually 1 color grade improvement is the proper adjustment to our advice on round diamonds and extend it to fancy shapes.
2.5 Carat Round Price Chart
Prices can, and do, vary for specific diamonds even more than those shown in the previous color grade example. There are many variables that affect diamond pricing, some of which you may be familiar with already (cut, symmetry, polish, and clarity grades for example) and some of which are more nuanced (the specific location and type of inclusions, specific dimensions of the diamond, etc.).
Diamond pricing can get a bit tricky so if you are looking for a specific estimate use our Diamond Price Calculator.
As if all that was not enough, the price of any specific diamond will change over time, and these changes can be significant. Below you can see the price chart for a 2.5 carat weight diamond. The average price for a 2.5 carat diamond is $31,474.
On January 2nd 2020 the average price was $34,302, while on April 1st 2020 the average price for a 2.5 carat was $31,813. That is a 7.2% drop in 3 months! See the live diamond prices for any color, carat, and clarity grade and the diamond data used to calculate these prices.
2.5 Carat Diamond Rings On Hand
One common worry amongst buyers is: what will the ring look like on her hand? Given that there are different hand sizes we have put together on-hand pictures for 2.5 carat weight diamonds on various ring/finger sizes.
2.5 carat diamond on size 4 finger
2.5 carat diamond on size 5 finger
2.5 carat diamond on size 6 finger
2.5 carat diamond on size 7 finger
2.5 carat diamond on size 8 finger
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Carat Diamonds In Different Setting Styles
Settings deserve a section of their own, as they can vary quite a bit and serve different purposes. You will definitely come across these 3 setting types which happen to be the most popular ones:
- The solitaire setting: in this setting the only diamond is the 2.5 carat center stone and hence the sole focus
- The halo setting: in this setting the 2.5 carat stone is surrounded by small diamonds all around it
- The three stone setting: in this setting two small (or big, it’s your call) stones are placed on either side of the 2.5 carat center stone
Let’s go over a few examples of what each looks like and what it means for the appearance of a 2.5 carat diamond.
2.5 Carat Solitaire Setting (Also Known As A Prong Setting)
If you love your stone and want avoid distractions, a solitaire setting is the setting to choose. A solitaire engagement ring setting puts all the emphasis on the center stone and you can still choose the number of prongs as well as additional band styles if you want personalize the setting a little bit more (more on bands further down).
You can expect to pay around $450 for a 18k yellow gold setting like this solitaire engagement ring setting from Blue Nile.
2.5 Carat Halo Setting
Want to make the diamond look even bigger than it already is? The halo setting’s small diamonds surrounding the center stone create a visual effect that enlarges the appearance of the center stone.
When it comes for the surrounding stones clarity and cut do not matter quite as much as they do for the larger center stone, you only want to make sure you get a similar color grade to the center stone. A halo engagement ring in 18k white gold starts at about $1,390 (like this one from Ritani).
2.5 Carat Three Stone Setting (3 Stone Setting)
Another way of achieving this visual effect, yet to a lesser scale, is to have two sides stones of whatever shape you like. The Three Stone Setting is beautiful and becoming ever more popular.
A three stone engagement ring in 18k white gold starts at about $3,220 (like this one from Ritani).
Pave Engagement Rings
As previously mentioned, customization of the band is yet another way of personalizing your ring. The most common style is the Pave, which consists of placing small diamonds across the band. You can have any setting matched with any band style.
In this example we are looking at a solitaire setting with a pave band. A 1/4 carat total weight pave engagement ring in 18k white gold starts at about $1,450 (like this one from Blue Nile).
2.5 Carat Diamond Size Chart
One common misconception regarding diamond sizes and carat weights is that double the carat weight means the diamond will look twice as large. However, what double the carat means is simply that the diamond weighs twice as much. Because diamonds are 3-dimensional objects, much of that additional weight falls below the surface and hence it does not look proportionately bigger.
| Carat | Diameter (mm) | Surface Area (sq. mm) |
|---|---|---|
|
0.5 ct. |
5.10 |
20.41 |
|
1 ct. |
6.42 |
32.37 |
|
1.5 ct. |
7.35 |
42.39 |
|
2 ct. |
8.08 |
51.34 |
|
2.5 ct. |
8.71 |
59.55 |
|
3 ct. |
9.25 |
67.24 |
|
3.5 ct. |
9.74 |
74.50 |
|
4 ct. |
10.18 |
81.43 |
|
4.5 ct. |
10.59 |
88.06 |
|
5 ct. |
10.97 |
94.46 |
Have any further questions? Feel free to contact our team via chat, we're happy to help you pick out the perfect diamond.
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