6 Carat Diamond Engagement Ring Guide

6.29ct E VS2 Pear Shape Diamond from Abe Mor — 6.29ct E VS2 Pear Shape Diamond

Bottom Line Recommendation:

If you’re in the market for a 6 Carat diamond ring, following certain recommendations on GIA or AGS-certified grades will ensure you get the best value for your purchase. We advise sticking to Ideal or Excellent grades for cut on the GIA scale, G to I for Color, and VS1 or VS2 for Clarity.

A high-quality 6 Carat diamond like this one from Blue Nile commands attention anywhere it goes. The fire and brilliance of a diamond this size is unique and immeasurable. However, a 6 Carat diamond with poor grades in areas such as Cut and Color will come up short, and you’ll end up overpaying for a ring with inferior beauty.

When you’re ready to purchase a 6 Carat diamond ring, restrict your search to reputable vendors such as James Allen, Blue Nile and Abe Mor. Additionally, contact us and we’ll be happy to guide you through your search for the perfect diamond ring.

6 Carat Diamond Ring Price

A 6 Carat diamond with passable grades can cost between $15,000 to $80,000 per carat.

6 Carat diamonds are exceptionally large, and equally beautiful assuming a high grade in Cut, Color and Clarity. Thus 6ct diamonds are quite rare and quite expensive.

For a high-quality 6 Carat diamond with a color rating of G or above and VS2 or better for clarity, you can expect to pay over $200,000, which works out to more than $30,000 per carat.

This 6.11 Carat round diamond from James Allen (G color, VS2 clarity) is priced at $231,700, or $37,921 per carat. This 6.05 Carat round cut diamond from Blue Nile (F color, VS2 clarity) costs $202,162 ($33,415 per carat).

At such a high carat, you can expect a significant variation in price as you go higher or lower in cut, color and clarity. For example, this 6.01 Carat round diamond from James Allen, with a K color grade and SI1 clarity is $57,610 ($9,586 per carat). This diamond is much cheaper than our previous examples but has a clear yellowish tinge, and more noticeable inclusions.

On the higher end, you have a 6 carat round diamond graded at D color and FL (flawless) clarity. Such an exquisite diamond can be priced at $400,000. A lot of people seem to be buying jewelry these days, so it’s important to know what to focus on.

Where To Buy 6 Carat Diamond Rings

6 Carat diamonds are exceptionally rare, so you are unlikely to find one (especially a diamond with a high-quality cut) in a local jewelry store.

New York City-based Abe Mor Diamonds is a great option for large and rare diamonds. They specialize in helping their customers find high-quality, rare diamonds that are in short supply from other vendors.

The two premier online diamond retailers, James Allen and Blue Nile, are also fine options to look for a high-quality 6 Carat diamond. These vendors offer the most extensive range out of any online jewelry stores, including a small selection of diamonds 6ct and above.

6ct Round diamond — 6.05ct F/VS2 Round Brilliant Cut Diamond

Both these companies offer diamonds that come with the best certifications (GIA or AGS) and provide imagery that lets you inspect the diamond closely online. These two points are of particular importance when you’re in the market for a rare and expensive 6 Carat diamond, as the price difference between different grades is that much bigger. Purchasing a poorly graded diamond may end up costing you tens of thousands of dollars more than necessary.

Other reputable diamond retailers include Brian Gavin Diamonds and Leibish & Co. Their range of clear diamonds 6ct and higher is quite limited though. You are more likely to find several options to choose from by shopping at James Allen or Blue Nile.

If you’re looking for a fancy colored diamond, Leibish are a great option. They offer the best range of colored diamonds, and this extends to a decent range of diamonds 6ct and above, such as this 6.10 Carat fancy dark brown pear shape diamond.

Diamond Size vs Carat: How Big is a 6 Carat Diamond Ring

Diamond Size and Diamond Carat are often mistaken to be the same thing. The truth is, Diamond Carat refers to the weight, not the size of a diamond. Each Carat is equal to 0.2 grams, thus a 6 Carat diamond weighs 1.2 grams.

Its size however will differ depending on the shape and cut of the diamond. A 6 Carat round brilliant diamond, the most common diamond shape, has a diameter of approximately 11.70.

6ct diamond comapred to 5ct, 4ct and 3ct

A diamond’s surface area, depth, and more contribute to its size. Thus a diamond with a larger table and fewer facets will usually appear smaller, despite being the same Carat weight as a seemingly larger diamond of a different shape.

You can check out our comparison image below where we lined up the average sizes of the most common shapes in 5ct next to a US quarter.

Clarity Rating for 6 Carat Diamond Rings

The difference between a low-quality diamond and one with exceptional beauty and brilliance is down to its grades for the 4 C’s – Cut, Color, Carat and Clarity. As we mentioned in regards to 6 Carat diamond prices, a higher or lower grade will result in a significant difference in price with rare diamonds of 6ct and above.

Clarity refers to the appearance of the diamond, and how many blemishes and inclusions are present. A higher grade indicates little to no imperfections.

This is how the GIA grades diamond clarity (best to worst):

Flawless (FL)
Internally Flawless (IF)
Very Very Small Inclusions 1 (VVS1)
Very Very Small Inclusions 2 (VVS2)
Very Small Inclusions 1 (VS1)
Very Small Inclusions 2 (VS2)
Small Inclusions 1 (SI1)
Small Inclusions 2 (SI2)
Inclusions 1 (I1)
Inclusions 2 (I2)

Above a certain level, any inclusions are impossible for the naked eye to detect. It’s very hard to notice any imperfections in a diamond with a VS2 grade unless examined closely with specialized equipment. Generally, the highest grade you would want to consider is VVS2. At this grade, you will not be able to notice any inclusions. Any grades higher than this will come at a premium price, for no noticeable increase in beauty.

The difference between one clarity grade and another is just about impossible to tell with the naked eye, there will be a big difference in price. That’s why it’s vital to get the help of an expert when buying a diamond ring of this size. Doing so will help you assess if the diamond’s clarity grade is fair, and ensure you don’t overpay.

6 Carat Diamond Ring Shapes

Beautiful diamonds are available in many different shapes, to fit the taste and hand of the wearer, as well as the ring’s setting. This is true for 6 Carat diamonds as well, providing you shop from a store that carries a decent range, like James Allen or Blue Nile.

The shape of your diamond is generally down to personal preference. The Round Brilliant is the most common shape, and a timeless look that will fit just about any situation. For a more unique look, you might want to go with an asscher, oval, or pear shaped diamond. Elongated shapes have a larger table surface area, which means they appear larger than a round diamond of the same carat weight.

Here are some examples of the beautiful diamond shapes you can find at 6ct and above:

6 Carat Diamond Ring Colors

As with Clarity, Color is a grade given by diamond grading entities and an important thing to consider when buying a 6 Carat diamond ring.

The GIA gives each diamond a Color grade of D to Z. The D Color grade is the highest, representing a completely clear, colorless diamond. Z is the lowest, indicating the diamond has an obvious tint of brown or yellow.

As with clarity, the difference between one color grade and the next (say F and G for example) is barely noticeable to the naked eye. The difference in price, however, is very noticeable. For this reason, it’s important you buy a diamond with a certification from a top grading entity, and that you have an expert inspect it before you purchase.

In most cases, your goal when assessing diamond Color is to ensure it appears colorless to the naked eye. The grade itself isn’t what people will notice when they see the ring, only how it looks to the eye. With this in mind, be aware that the ring’s setting influences how Color appears. A darker setting, such as rose gold or yellow gold, will contrast with the diamond and can make a lower grade diamond appear whiter than its grade.

Generally, a diamond with a Color grade from G to I is the best option for value. Anything higher than this won’t really bring a noticeable difference but will put you into a higher price range. Anything lower will have an obvious yellowish tinge that may detract from the beauty of the ring.

6.12ct Fancy Intense Yellow Cushion Cut Diamond from Abe Mor — 6.12ct Fancy Intense Yellow Cushion Cut Diamond

How to Get the Best Value for a 6 Carat Diamond Ring

Our goal is to help you get the best ring at your desired price point. When looking at diamonds as large as 6 Carats, it’s all too easy to spend a lot of money on aspects of the diamond that are barely noticeable.

You can expect to spend a lot of money on a 6 Carat diamond, but with that price tag, you’ll rightfully expect a beautiful diamond. Inspecting the diamond yourself, as well as getting the help of an expert before making your decision, will go a long way to ensuring you get a stunning diamond for a fair price.

To make sure you get fair value out of your purchase, first, stick to diamonds with a reputable certificate. The GIA and AGS are the best grading entities out there. Anything else is likely to inflate the given grades, and you may wind up overpaying for a lower quality diamond.

Additionally, follow these recommendations when buying a 6 Carat diamond ring:

Shape: choose the shape that you like best, and best fits the wearer. Diamonds with a larger face-up size like marquise, oval or pear shapes will look a little bit bigger, and therefore the appearance of a higher carat weight diamond.

Cut: Ensure your diamond has either an Ideal or Excellent grade from the GIA. Anything less will have a noticeable dropoff in fire and brilliance.

Clarity: VS1 and VS2 grades are the sweet spot in terms of value. At these grades, any imperfections or blemishes in the diamond will not be noticeable to the naked eye.

Color: diamonds between a G and I grade are nearly colorless, and should not have any colored tint noticeable to the naked eye. D to F grades are significantly more expensive, but may not have much difference in appearance.

Vendor: we recommend James Allen, Blue Nile and Abe Mor for buying 6 Carat diamonds.

Famous 6 Carat Diamond Engagement Rings

One of the most famous celebrity engagement rings is Meghan Markle’s three-stone diamond ring from Princ Harry. The ring, valued at approximately $350,000, features a 6 carat cushion cut diamond in the center, supported by a smaller round diamond on each side.

American entertainer also shows off a 6 carat diamond ring, with a stunning 6 carat oval-shaped ring designed by Lorraine Schwartz, gifted by fiance Brooks Laich in August 2018.

Final Thoughts

A stunning 6 Carat diamond ring is going to command attention and take over every single room. You can make the process of finding the perfect 6 Carat diamond ring easier by reaching out to us, so we can provide assistance and offer our years of experience to help.

Get in touch with us and we’ll be glad to help you begin your search process.

Here are more carat size topics to browse:

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What we love about them:

No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. Blue Nile will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
Lifetime Warranty
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Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
Provide insurance appraisal
One free resizing within the first year of purchase
High quality images of about half of their diamonds
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About the author

Michael Fried Mike Fried has over 25 years experience in the diamond industry working with Leo Schachter Diamonds, Moshe Namdar Diamonds, and joining The Diamond Pro in 2007. He is recognized as an industry expert and has been quoted in publications such as Us, People, Page Six, The Next Web and more.