What Different Diamond Sizes Look Like IRL

POPSUGAR Photography | Samantha Sutton
POPSUGAR Photography | Samantha Sutton

Full disclosure: we've dreamt about our engagement ring — and the guy who will give it to us — for as long as we can remember. We're fashion girls, after all. Sparkly diamonds, the excuse to buy the dress of our dreams, and all things wedding-related are pretty much our ultimate weakness. But when it comes to carat size and technical stuff, you might as well be speaking a foreign language. Because we know that the carat is the weight of the diamond and — sigh — the higher the weight, the higher the price, but what does that even mean? What does it actually look like? On real-people fingers?

Luckily, we've got a few friends in high places, and Ritani, a diamond company with a factory in NYC, offered to shed some light on our rock-size dilemma. So without further ado, here's what real diamonds look like on real-girl hands. Now your only issue is discretely sending this to your S.O.

.75 Carat

.75 Carat

Without the setting, this diamond is priced upwards of $1,300. It's a good-sized stone — especially for smaller hands — and the cost is pretty reasonable if you're not looking to spend a lot.

1 Carat

1 Carat

There doesn't look to be too much of a difference between this and the last ring, but if you're looking for at least 1 carat, the price point begins around $1,400.

2-Carat Center Stone, .5-Carat Stones on Either Side

2-Carat Center Stone, .5-Carat Stones on Either Side

Oftentimes, a great way to save money is by opting for many smaller diamonds rather than one big stone. A 2-carat diamond starts around $7,000.

3 Carat

3 Carat

We love the size of this ring, but you and/or your partner may have to sacrifice a few paychecks to get this baby on your ring finger. Three-carat diamond prices start above $13k.

4-Carat Center Stone, .20-Carat Stones on Either Side

4-Carat Center Stone, .20-Carat Stones on Either Side

Some people's starting salary is about $25,000 — which is actually less than what this diamond costs, starting at $26k. If you've got the dough, we say go for it. We can definitely imagine ourselves wearing this ring for the rest of our lives.