How big is a 1-carat? A 3-carat? See for yourself.
Carat is weight, not width. Here’s what each weight actually looks like — across every shape we offer, on a hand, and in your hand.
Hold a credit card against this line. The ends should match exactly (85.6mm). If they don’t, adjust browser zoom (Cmd/Ctrl + / −) until they do — then the diamonds below will display at actual size.
See the size on a hand.
Pick a shape and a carat weight. The diamond on the hand updates in real time, scaled to actual size on a typical size 6 finger.
6.5 × 6.5 mm
Every weight, actual size.
See how each carat weight grows for the shape you are considering. Drawn at true mm dimensions — verify the calibration bar at the top of the page first.
Reference dimensions.
Exact millimeter dimensions for every weight, every shape. For the buyer who wants the data.
| Carat | Round | Oval | Cushion | Princess | Emerald | Pear | Marquise | Radiant | Asscher | Heart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ct | 6.5 | 8.0×6.0 | 5.7 | 5.5 | 6.5×4.5 | 8.5×5.5 | 10.0×5.0 | 6.0×5.5 | 5.5 | 6.5 |
| 1.5 ct | 7.4 | 9.0×7.0 | 6.7 | 6.4 | 7.3×5.0 | 10.0×6.0 | 11.5×5.7 | 7.0×6.4 | 6.4 | 7.4 |
| 2 ct | 8.2 | 10.5×7.5 | 7.5 | 7.0 | 8.5×6.0 | 11.0×7.0 | 13.0×6.5 | 7.5×7.0 | 7.0 | 8.2 |
| 2.5 ct | 8.8 | 11.5×8.0 | 8.0 | 7.5 | 9.3×6.5 | 12.0×7.5 | 14.0×7.0 | 8.0×7.5 | 7.5 | 8.8 |
| 3 ct | 9.4 | 12.0×8.5 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 10.0×7.0 | 13.0×8.0 | 14.5×7.5 | 8.5×8.0 | 8.0 | 9.4 |
| 4 ct | 10.4 | 13.0×9.5 | 9.5 | 8.8 | 11.0×7.5 | 14.0×9.0 | 16.0×8.0 | 9.5×8.8 | 8.8 | 10.4 |
| 5 ct | 11.2 | 14.0×10.5 | 10.3 | 9.5 | 12.0×8.0 | 15.0×10.0 | 17.0×8.5 | 10.3×9.5 | 9.5 | 11.2 |
| 6 ct | 11.9 | 15.0×11.0 | 11.0 | 10.1 | 13.0×8.5 | 16.0×10.5 | 18.0×9.0 | 11.0×10.1 | 10.1 | 11.9 |
| 7 ct | 12.6 | 16.0×11.5 | 11.7 | 10.7 | 14.0×9.0 | 17.0×11.0 | 19.0×9.5 | 11.7×10.7 | 10.7 | 12.6 |
| 8 ct | 13.2 | 17.0×12.0 | 12.3 | 11.2 | 14.8×9.4 | 18.0×11.5 | 20.0×10.0 | 12.3×11.2 | 11.2 | 13.2 |
| 9 ct | 13.7 | 18.0×12.5 | 12.8 | 11.7 | 15.5×9.8 | 19.0×12.0 | 20.8×10.4 | 12.8×11.7 | 11.7 | 13.7 |
| 10 ct | 14.2 | 19.0×13.0 | 13.3 | 12.2 | 16.2×10.2 | 19.8×12.5 | 21.5×10.7 | 13.3×12.2 | 12.2 | 14.2 |
Size is contextual.
A diamond never sits in a vacuum. These four factors change how big it actually looks.
Hand size matters
The same diamond looks larger on a smaller hand and smaller on a larger hand. A 1.5ct stone can look statement on size 4 fingers and modest on size 9. If possible, try on different sizes before deciding.
Setting changes perception
A halo of small diamonds can make the center stone look 30% larger. A bezel makes it look slightly smaller. A solitaire shows the true size. Choose your setting knowing it shifts visual size.
Shape affects size feel
Elongated shapes — oval, marquise, pear, emerald — look larger than round or cushion of the same carat weight. They cover more surface area on the finger, often appearing 10-20% bigger.
Photos lie
Phone cameras and online product photos distort scale. The diamond next to your hand on Instagram is rarely the size it looks. Always check the millimeter dimensions in the listing — they're the truth.