5 Carat Diamond Rings: A Price and Buying Guide

An exquisitely cut diamond is a thing of rare beauty; whether it is the twinkle of a modest 0.25ct or the awesome flash of a 5.00ct diamond, an abundance of fire, brilliance and scintillation requires perfect proportions and facet precision to deliver the extraordinary light performance that make diamonds so distinctive.

Five carats is a considerable weight for a diamond – even those who work in the world of diamonds may only come across a handful of truly exceptional 5 carat diamonds every few years. Such impressive diamonds require a particular set of guidelines in order to unleash their full capacity for fire and brilliance. Diamonds are priced per carat, and price increases exponentially as you move up the carat weight categories (i.e. 1 carat, 2 carat etc). Setting a reasonable budget is the first step. This guide will give you realistic expectations of price, as well as covering the finer details of choosing a 5-carat diamond. Getting it wrong is a costly mistake, but get it right and the results are truly breath-taking.

Though often used interchangeably with size, ‘carat’ expresses the weight of a diamond. While size is dependent on cut proportions and shape, carat is a set quantity. Five carats is equivalent to one gram.

Our customers sometimes ask us if a five-carat diamond is ‘big’. Yes, a five-carat diamond is much heavier than the average diamond used for engagement rings (which is 1.00ct or less). But cut quality will determine actual and apparent size, as well as its brightness and fire. A precision cut 5-carat round diamond like this 5.19 ct A CUT ABOVE® super ideal optimizes size and all-important light performance.

We have helped thousands of customers find the diamond ring of their dreams – whatever the carat weight, a focus on quality is at the core of the Whiteflash ethos.

The bigger the carat weight, the less forgiving the diamond will be. We implore our customers to use our education pages to familiarize themselves with the four C’s – there is room for movement among quality grades and personal taste comes into play. However, this flexibility has its limits if you want a stunning diamond.

For a 5-carat diamond, a VS2 is a beautiful clarity grade, usually ensuring an eye-clean appearance. This is an example of how to strike a balance between budget and beauty – using our high-res imaging and 360 video you can take a detailed look at your diamond to assess its clarity with ease.

This 5.217ct round brilliant is from our A CUT ABOVE® range of super-ideal cut diamonds. Even under the scrutiny of a magnified image and video, it presents impressive clarity and stunning sparkle.

For color, an H and above is ideal for a 5.00ct diamond. For those who are especially sensitive to color (can pick up on yellow/brown hues more readily) a G grade is at the top end of the ‘near colorless’ category, giving icy white sparkle.

Cut is the most important feature of any diamond, regardless of carat weight. The cut is what transforms a rough diamond into the sparkling gem that we revere. Not all cuts are equal. A badly cut diamond will look dull, flat and lack any vibrance or beauty. A 5-carat diamond demands a great cut, and overlooking this important feature could result in a glassy, lackluster diamond. The cut should be a priority when you consider your budget as it will have the greatest impact on the beauty of a diamond.

For 5 carat diamonds above a VS2 clarity or a G color grade, much of the appeal is owning a collection quality diamond. Moving into D-F and VVS-FL diamonds will mean a considerable increase in price. For those seeking these elite diamonds of ultimate rarity grades, our A CUT ABOVE® Collection Series was created with you in mind. Only diamonds which meet the strict A CUT ABOVE® cut specifications and carry the top color and clarity grades are part of the Collection Series. Finding 5-carat diamonds that meet all these criteria is extremely rare and are coveted by diamond connoisseurs with means.

The price difference between 5-carat diamonds can be huge – tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars separate quality diamonds from subpar diamonds.

For the lower end of a 5-carat budget, we would suggest a minimum of $50,000 – the majority of this budget will be focused upon cut quality, while the color is likely to be somewhere in the I-K range, and the clarity in the SI grade range. We are comfortable working to help our customers find the diamond of their dreams regardless of their budget, however a 5-carat diamond at this price will lack the precision and beauty that Whiteflash recommends. Ask yourself, why a five-carat diamond? If you want a diamond with impact, or a ‘big’ diamond, consider a lower carat weight or a different shape, such as oval or pear shape, which will help maximize your carat weight for a given budget. Look at halo settings which bring further prominence to the diamond – these changes will allow you to focus on quality, while still owning a ‘big’ diamond.

A realistic budget for a 5-carat diamond with exceptional light performance and decent color and clarity would be around $145,000.

Finding a large diamond at a reasonable budget is easier today than ever before due to the emergence of lab created diamonds. A Lab grown diamond is a real diamonds, not an imitation like CZ and Moisannite. They are true synthetic diamonds with essentially the same physical and optical properties as natural mined diamonds.

Technology to produce them is rapidly evolving and bigger high quality lab diamonds are starting to become more available. We expect this trend to continue which will make finding a 5ct lab grown diamond at a good price a real possibility.

As mentioned above, lab diamond growers are getting better and better, and are able to grow bigger diamonds and improve quality at the same time. There are two methods used to create lab diamonds; CVD and HPHT and there are some differences between them. Not all lab diamonds are equal, and this fact has created a market with prices all over the map.

Because there are some things that are not revealed by a laboratory report alone, there are some lab diamonds on the market that have issues, and those diamonds are typically discounted. It is possible to compare prices online, but make sure you educate yourself on some of the unique things to be aware of when shopping for a large lab diamond.

5 ct lab diamond cost is highly variable, and while far less expensive than a natural diamond, you will still spend good money getting a high quality lab grown diamond in this size.

Settings are a great way to express your personality or simply let your diamond do the talking. It is important to balance style and durability, and diamonds with bigger carat weights require a particular focus on function. A heavier diamond carries with it a different set of guidelines.

A prong setting is a classic and secure way to set your diamond. We recommend a minimum of six prongs to hold a 5.00ct diamond. Many designer settings will feature platinum prongs for added durability, to give you peace of mind while wearing your 5-carat diamond.

A bezel setting is extremely secure, protecting the extremities of the diamond to prevent catching or scratching. A bezel setting can give a striking and contemporary look and allows for everyday wear, even for large diamonds.

The designer brands we represent are experts; renowned the world over for their innovation and craftsmanship, they create settings that are designed to be secure, beautiful and durable. For five carat diamonds, tension and suspension settings should be avoided as they are not suited to diamonds of significant weight, however beyond this, the variety of styles suited to a 5-carat diamond is extremely broad.

Choosing a five carat diamond should be an inspiring journey – if you are struggling, contact our experts for some helpful guidance selecting a diamond and setting.