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5 Carat Diamond Ring Buying Guide

How to get a stunning 5 carat diamond for an engagement ring that rocks!

By Michael Fried,
5ct Fancy Yellow Princess Cut diamond in a halo setting
5ct Fancy Yellow Princess cut diamond in a halo setting from Abe Mor

Bottom Line Recommendation:

We strongly recommend only considering 5 Carat Diamonds with an ideal cut or Excellent grade cut on the GIA scale. Be sure to purchase your stone from a prominent diamond dealer that offers a GIA or AGS certification with every diamond, like James Allen or Blue Nile. And if you think diamonds like those are not sold online, think again. Here is a 2.5 million dollar diamond from Blue Nile

Because of the exceptional carat weight, 5 Carat Diamonds have tremendous capacity for brilliance, sparkle and fire. For Color, choose a diamond that falls between G-I . For Clarity, we recommend looking at diamonds within the VS1 or VS2 grades. 

A stunning, well-cut 5 Carat Diamond like this one from James Allen will turn heads and make your loved one feel extraordinary. But buying any 5 Carat Diamond won’t get you the results you want. You could buy a poorly cut, dull 5 Carat Diamond or one that’s exceptional, like this 5 Carat Diamond Ring in platinum from James Allen.

Diamonds of the same carat weight differ dramatically in their overall beauty and appearance. If you’re considering a 5 Carat Diamond, contact us and we’ll help you find one that’s truly extraordinary. 

5 Carat Diamond Engagement Ring in Rose Gold

5 Carat Diamonds Has Nothing To Do With the Size

When we refer to 5 Carat Diamonds, we’re talking about the weight of the diamond, not its size. 5 Carat is equal to 1 gram. To put it in perspective, thumbtacks and paperclips weigh about 1 gram each.

People often misconstrue Weight with Size and it was important to provide this distinction before we move on to the other importants points on 5 Carat Diamonds.

5 Carat Diamonds Ring Price

It’s important to understand that all diamonds are priced per carat. The price of a 5ct diamond starts somewhere around $9,000 per carat (only referring to K+ and SI2 diamonds). Understandably, the price per carat on diamonds with better color and clarity grades would end up much higher.

Ringo Approved Eye Clean Diamonds

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Diamond prices per carat also increase as weight categories increase. The price per carat increases exponentially with weight for two reasons: the diamond’s higher weight value and the higher price per carat within the weight category.

Take note of each weight ‘category,’ as prices per carat don’t continually increase as weight increases. Diamond prices are generally driven more by emotion than reason. Unlike 1 – 2 carat diamonds, 5 carat diamonds fall firmly into the high end luxury category and this changes the way they are marketed. Stephen Lussier, executive vice president of DeBeers, made an interesting point on this matter. “In every market in the world, the number one competition to our industry is travel. If you have a wedding, a 10th or 25th wedding anniversary, a significant birthday, the romantic thing to do is travel.”

While it may seem advantageous to search for a diamond that’s just below a new weight category—such as a 4.90 or 4.95 Carat Diamond—that isn’t true anymore. Diamond cutters have become more efficient at their job and it’s incredibly rare to find a well-cut 4.90 Diamond.

In addition, the search for an “almost” 5 Carat Diamond has become increasingly popular. This popularity elevates the prices of those particular diamonds—making the price difference nominal. Ultimately, you can search for a 4.90ct+ diamond, but we suggest not doing this specifically, as you’re severely limiting your search potential without really saving anything.

If you’re in the market for a 5 Carat Diamond, review this guide to learn how to select a stunning diamond instead of a dud. By understanding a few of the diamond fundamentals, you’ll enjoy incredible payoff with the overall appeal and beauty of your stone.

Please also feel welcome to reach out to our diamond experts.  We strongly suggest this service for those purchasing 4 Carat and 5 Carat Diamonds. The higher your budget, the more you need to be aware of what makes an exceptional stone versus one that’s lackluster. We can help you source diamonds and review them before a purchase is made.

Different carat weight shown on a finger

Where To Buy a 5 Carat Diamond Ring

5 Carat Diamonds, especially ones that are well-cut, are scarce and rarely found in local shops. If you find a 5 Carat diamond in a jewelry store, it’s likely to be poorly cut—greatly reducing its overall brilliance and beauty.

The exception to brick and mortar stores are highly reputable vendors like Abe Mor Diamonds in New York City. Abe Mor specializes in larger diamonds and usually have a collection of exceptional 5 Carat Diamonds. They offer truly personalized services and have helped many of our readers find stunning 5 Carat Diamonds.

5 Carat Custom Engagement Ring by Abe Mor
Custom ring

 Abe Mor, there are online options for finding a 5 Carat Diamond Ring. Through online vendors, you can find a beautiful 5 Carat Diamond at an excellent price. Brian Gavin and James Allen often carry a selection of 5 Carat Diamonds. Using the high-end photography on the James Allen site, you can review every diamond up-close.

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Is it the J color for $4,082 or the G color for $5,500?

Over the course of our extensive experience, we’ve vetted several diamond dealers and have a consistent pulse on the companies you can trust.

For the best diamond cuts at an exceptional value, we highly recommend:

Abe Mor Diamonds

If you live near New York City or have the opportunity to travel there, Abe Mor is an excellent option. Specializing in larger stones, Abe Mor has provided remarkable diamond and jewelry options for many of our readers. As an actual wholesaler, Abe Mor works with boutique jewelry designers in the city.

Brian Gavin Diamonds

Offering super-ideal cuts with the “Brian Gavin Signature” Hearts & Arrows collection, this is your best bet for a stunning diamond from an online dealer. Every diamond comes with a high quality certification (GIA & AGS). As the carat weight of your diamond increases, the added brilliance of a Brian Gavin Black or Signature diamond is truly noticeable.

Bespoke Diamonds by Brian Gavin

With Brian Gavin, you have a distinct advantage because he’s one of the premier diamond cutters in the world. If you’re looking for something rare and unique, Brian will custom cut a diamond to your exact preferences. When you pair the diamond with one of their custom engagement rings, you will enjoy a truly exclusive experience.

Bespoke High End Jewelry by Leibish & Co

Leibish’s competitive advantage is that they have the most experience with the highest end of the diamond business. They specialize in fancy color diamonds, but they also have extensive experience with high-end large colorless diamonds as well.

James Allen

James Allen places customer experience at the forefront of their business. They also offer appealing prices and incredible diamond imagery. All diamonds come with a high-quality certification from GIA or AGS.

Blue Nile

Blue Nile emphasizes remarkable diamond quality and offers high-quality jewelry settings. They also house the largest online inventory of diamonds and jewelry settings. All diamonds come with a high-quality certification (GIA or AGS).

When selecting a diamond from your vendor, follow these expert recommendations:

  • Make sure any 5 Carat Diamond you’re considering comes with a GIA or AGS certificate.
  • Strictly consider diamonds with an ideal cut or GIA grade of Excellent only. Diamond Cut is the largest indicator of a diamond’s beauty, brilliance and fire.
  • Review comparable diamonds across dealers to ensure you recieve an excellent price.
  • Ask for the help of a diamond expert in searching for and solidifying an exceptional 5 Carat Diamond.
5 Carat Platinum Solitaire Engagement Ring

The Difference Between Diamond Carat and Diamond Size

Diamond Carat and Diamond Size are frequently mistaken as meaning the same thing. Diamond Carat, however, refers to the weight of the diamond—whereas Diamond Size refers to how large it appears.

A larger sized diamond doesn’t mean it has a larger carat weight. The surface area of the table, the depth and other shape features are not impacted by carat weight. These aspects depend largely on Diamond Shape and how the diamond is cut—both of which contribute to how large the diamond appears.

As an example, a 5 Carat Princess Cut Diamond ring may appear larger than a 5 Carat Round Brilliant Diamond ring. Both shapes are excellent choices (except the Princess Cut example is a poorly cut diamond). The size of each stone appears different, even though the carat weights are nearly the same.

All cuts size comparison 5ct

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.

When it comes to choosing the shape, size and carat of your diamond, review several options to determine which diamonds are most appealing to you.

A lot of celebrities have 5ct diamonds in their engagement rings (Christina Haack being one of them). They are a good source of inspiration for you to see how those shapes and styles look in real life.

Clarity Rating for 5 Carat Diamond Rings

A diamond’s 4 C’s (Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat Weight) impact its beauty and brilliance in varying ways.

Diamond Clarity is a metric that grades the visual appearance of each diamond. The less blemishes and inclusions, the better the clarity grade.

The GIA’s scale of clarity grades ranges from best to worst:

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).

Diamond Clarity Chart

While Clarity can significantly impact a diamond’s beauty, most imperfections can’t be recognized by the naked eye. You should closely review the diamond yourself to determine if any imperfections are visible. Have an expert assist you in order to avoid spending too much on a characteristic that will go unnoticed.

The difference between two grades, such as VS1 and VVS2, are rarely noticed by the naked eye, although the price can differ significantly. Assuming all else is equal, an eye-clean diamond that’s graded lower than a flawless diamond will look identical. The difference is just in the price.

For 5 Carat Diamonds, we suggest a minimum of a VS2 Clarity due to their significant carat weight. To the naked eye, most imperfections are invisible at this grade.

To maintain a reasonable spend in the area of Clarity, the highest we generally recommend is a VVS2 diamond, as no blemishes or inclusions will be noticeable.

Overall, you should be looking for an eye-clean diamond. Enlist the help of an expert if you’re not completely confident.

5 Carat Diamond Ring Shapes

You can find stunning 5 Carat Diamonds in almost any Diamond Shape—or at least have one custom cut for you. The shape you choose should be based on the personal preference and style of the wearer.

If a larger appearance is important, it may be helpful to consider the table surface areas for each Diamond Shape.

The chart below lists the table surface size for each shape:

Diamond ShapeApproximate Table Surface Area for 5 Carat
Round Brilliant Cut11.11×11.11×6.7mm
Princess Cut9.42×9.42×6.78mm
Emerald Cut 11.42×8.46×5.5mm
Asscher Cut9.6×9.6×6.24mm
Radiant Cut 9.88×9.88×6.32mm
Cushion Cut 9.96×9.96×6.37mm
Oval Diamond13.88×9.25×5.64mm
Pear Shaped Diamond 15.47×9.32×5.69mm
Heart Shaped Diamond11.22×11.22×6.73mm
Marquise Diamond 17.76×8.88×5.42mm
Trillion Diamond13.23×13.23×5.29mm

5 Carat Diamond Ring Colors

Diamond Color is graded by the GIA on a scale from D to Z. D diamonds represent the most clear, colorless diamonds and Z indicates diamonds with a noticeable brown or yellow tint.

The difference between each single grade is primarily unnoticeable to the naked eye. James Allen explains this in their Diamond Color article: “Most people find it very difficult (if not impossible) to tell the difference from one color grade to another.” The difference in price, however, can be significant.

5.11ct Radiant Cut Diamond from Abe Mor

Because the difference between color grades can be minimal, we recommend reviewing the diamond closely to ensure it appears colorless. What you notice with your naked eye is more important than the Color grade. With advanced photography, you can look at diamonds up-close even online.

You want to make sure the diamond also appears white in relation to its setting. A J graded diamond will appear white when paired with a darker setting, like one made of yellow gold or rose gold. The diamond, however, will likely appear tinted if placed in a white gold or platinum setting.

On the other hand, an H diamond will appear colorless in any type of precious metal. Look at the picture above of the 5.11ct Radiant Cut diamond from Abe Mor. It’s an H/VS1 graded diamond is a simple platinum setting and it looks gorgeous.

We recommend choosing a 5 Carat Diamond in the nearly colorless range of G to I. These diamonds appear clear and colorless to the naked eye and will cost much less than those in the D to F range.

Remember that Cut is the element that most drastically impacts a diamond’s beauty. With an exceptionally well-cut diamond, like those in the Brian Gavin Signature Hearts and Arrows Diamond collection, the harder it is to notice Color. We recommend spending more on Diamond Cut than Diamond Color, no matter the carat weight.

Ask a diamond expert to help you assess Diamond Color.

How To Get The Best Value For a 5 Carat Diamond Ring

This article covers all the tricks you use to get the best bang for your buck. If you want to discuss retailers, this article shows you the best places to buy diamond rings. Our goal is to help you find the most exceptional 5 Carat Diamond at an excellent price point. We want you to spend your budget where it truly matters—and scale back in areas that will go unnoticed.

Most importantly, we recommend reviewing every 5 Carat Diamond yourself or having an expert assist you.

5ct cushion cut from James Allen

Verify that any diamond you’re considering comes with a certificate from a reputable source (GIA or AGS). If a seller is suggesting you purchase a diamond from a different grading entity, it’s best to steer clear—especially with 5 Carat Diamonds. No matter what the report claims, the actual quality of the diamond is far less than what the certificate states.

To ensure your 5 Carat Diamond is truly stunning, follow our expert recommendations:

  • Shape: Choose the Diamond Shape that’s most appealing to you and the wearer. Select a jewelry setting that provides stability.
  • Cut: Only select diamonds with an ideal cut or Excellent grade on the GIA scale. An exceptionally cut diamond optimizes the brilliance and fire of the stone.
  • Clarity: Look for diamonds of either VS1 and VS2 Clarity grade. These grades will give you the best value for what can be seen with the naked eye. In other words, imperfections are unnoticeable at these grades.
  • Color: Consider diamonds in the nearly colorless range of G to I. These stones appear clear to the naked eye and cost much less than diamonds in the D to F range.
  • Diamond Vendor: Purchase your diamond from a respected diamond seller like Brian Gavin Diamonds, Abe Mor Diamonds, James Allen  and Blue Nile.

Prices of 5 carat diamond rings

TypeTotal CostDiamond CostSetting CostSpecs
5.01 Carat Round Solitaire from James Allen$41,795$41,360 ($8,255/ct)$4355.01ct Round L color SI1 clarity
5.19 Carat Round Solitaire from James Allen$145,537$144,930 ($28,042/ct)$6075.19ct Round H color VVS2 clarity
5.01 Carat Cushion Cut Ring from James Allen$41,115$40,260 ($8,036/ct)$8555.01ct Cushion Cut K color VS1 clarity
5.01 Carat Cushion Cut Ring from James Allen$81,330$78,910 ($15,750/ct)$2,4205.01ct Cushion Cut H color VS2 clarity
5.09 Carat Emerald Solitaire from Blue Nile$179,689$179,129 ($35,192/ct)$7405.01ct Round E color VVS1 clarity
5.01 Carat Oval Channel Set from James Allen$44,495$43,070 ($8,562/ct)$1,4255.01ct Round K color SI1 clarity

Final Thoughts

Make the search for your 5 Carat Diamond Ring easier by using our guide and reaching out to us for assistance. Through our many years of experience, we can easily distinguish a stunning, high-class 5 Carat Diamond from a less than outstanding choice.

We’ve helped many of our readers work directly with diamond importers and boutique jewelry designers. If you’re unsure about carat weight, we have a buying guide for 4 Carat Diamonds as well.

Contact us today and we can begin the complementary search process for you.

Here are more carat size topics to browse:

James Allen James Allen is the leader in online diamond sales. Their imaging technology is the same as inspecting a diamond with a jeweler's loupe. They have the largest exclusive loose diamond inventory online and fantastic prices. They also have the nicest collection of lab created diamonds online. For a limited time Save 25% during James Allen Holiday Sale!
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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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About the author

Michael Fried 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.

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