WHAT DOES A HALF CARAT (.50 CT) DIAMOND COST?

Looking to purchase a half carat diamond?

What’s the cost?

Well, you could spend anywhere from $610, all the way up to $3,080 for a 50 point (.50 carat) diamond.

That’s quite a price difference, but that’s also going from one extreme to the other (best quality to lowest).

And, that’s also taking into consideration that the diamond is exactly 50 points (not 49, 48, 51…).

50 right on the dot!

Half carats are usually never exactly 50 points, no matter where you buy them (unless you use the selection tools to select 50 only, as I did for this post). They will actually fluctuate about 12 points (.45 – .57). The FTC allows this variance, and any diamond in those carat weights can legally be called a half carat. Just look at any jeweler’s disclaimers on the back of their catalogs and you’ll see the fine print:

So with that in mind, the price of a “half carat” increases from $540 up to $4,490.

That’s quite a spread!

Compare a cheap 45 point diamond to an expensive 57 point below:

Almost $4,000 difference…

That doesn’t cut it. No. The real way to shop and compare diamonds, is to narrow down your search.

Use the tools at James Allen and pick which quality you’d like to see.

That will slim down the choices and the drastic price range.

So what do I recommend?

If you really want your half carat diamond to “pop”, shine like crazy, then get a diamond that’s cut excellent (cut is the only 4C that makes a diamond sparkle). Combine that with a “pure white” diamond and your diamond will look ultra bright, ultra white, and sparkle like a thousand stars in the sky.

Clarity isn’t a big issue…

As long as there aren’t any huge black spots (carbon spots) in the stone, you’ll be fine. Generally it’s wise to stick around SI1 (for appearance and affordability)… Selecting all of these attributes gives you a diamond just like this:

CARAT, CLARITY, COLOR, CUT, POL, SYM, FLUOR	PRICE	VIEW
.50, SI1+, D,E,F, EX, EX, EX, NONE	$1,290	VIEW

Diamonds with SI1 in clarity, D, E, F in color, “ideal” cut (excellent in cut, polish and symmetry), will make your diamond a stunning diamond full of life, brilliance and fire. And a price starting out around $1,290.

It’s a great diamond and a great deal.

Sure you could go higher up in clarity (VS or VVS), but in half carat diamonds, because of their size, it’s not really necessary. There won’t be any visual difference between an SI1 and a Flawless diamond. This is because all of the inclusions are microscopic only (you’ll need a microscope or a 10x jeweler’s loupe to see them). So if you can’t see the difference, then why spend the difference?

If you do want to spend a little more, get yourself a .58 (5/8) carat diamond instead. Those extra couple of points really add to the mass and the sparkle of the stone.

Just like these diamonds here:

CARAT, CLARITY, COLOR, CUT, POL, SYM, FLUOR	PRICE	VIEW
.58, SI1+, D,E,F, EX, EX, EX, NONE	$1,650	VIEW

It’s only a couple of hundred more (pushing into $1,650), but it’s worth the leap.

All of these diamonds and prices come from James Allen, one of the biggest and best diamond dealers online (you can view the actual diamonds and spin them around). Their prices are low, their warranties are excellent… Compare their prices with what you find in the mall jewelry stores, and you’ll be blown away with the difference in price and quality.

You get more bang for your buck.

Once you find the perfect diamond, have it set in a solitaire mounting, pave mounting, or halo mounting and you’ll have yourself the perfect proposal ring.

Check out all the half carat diamonds here:

CARAT, CLARITY, COLOR, CUT, POL, SYM, FLUOR	PRICE	VIEW
.50, SI1+, D,E,F, EX, EX, EX, NONE	$1,300	VIEW

And if you have any questions about diamonds or quality, email me here.

So what does a half carat diamond cost?

It really depends on your pocketbook… And it also depends on the type of stone you choose. Normally, people want a good looking diamond with a lot of sparkle… So with that in mind, a half carat will cost you around $1,300 (at the time of this post).

Cheers! :)