March 8th 2022

2 Carat Diamond Rings: Updated Pricing Guide & Where To Buy Them

By Devin Jones

Getting a great deal on a 2 carat diamond requires more than just a basic understanding of the 4 C’s. That’s why we created this comprehensive guide to help you avoid overpaying on your big purchase.

Did you know? 2 carat diamond cost about 3 times as much as 1 carat diamonds?

2 Carat Diamond Ring Prices

The average price of a 2 carat diamond ring can range from $13,405 - $31,413 depending on the type of diamond, according to data from our 2 carat diamond price index.

Below are two examples of diamonds with significantly different quality characteristics and price tags. One of the diamonds is a D color (the highest and most expensive color grade) with a VVS1 clarity grade (very, very slightly included), while the other is a K color diamond with significantly more flaws (inclusions). You can probably guess which one costs over $50,000 and which costs less than $10,000 just by looking at them.

However, dropping in price doesn’t always mean you have to noticeably drop in quality. A totally eye clean and white 2 carat round diamond can be had for well under $17,000 if you know what to look for (like an excellent cut I color VS2 clarity diamond with faint or medium fluorescence).

If you want to see live 2 carat diamond prices you can check them out here:

• 2 carat asscher diamond prices
• 2 carat cushion diamond prices
• 2 carat emerald diamond prices
• 2 carat heart diamond prices
• 2 carat marquise diamond prices
• 2 carat oval diamond prices
• 2 carat pear diamond prices
• 2 carat princess diamond prices
• 2 carat radiant diamond prices
• 2 carat round diamond prices

In this guide we’ll unveil the most important considerations that affect the beauty (and price tag) of a 2 carat diamond. If you have any questions feel free to chat us at any time or use our diamond search engine to view the live prices of over 2 million diamonds currently available from top online jewelers.

Different Color Grades For 2 Carat Diamonds

Of the 4 C’s (meaning color, clarity, cut, and carat), color is the “c” that can save you the most money and is the first thing we want to tackle in our 2 Carat Diamond Guide.

Color is an important consideration at the 2 carat mark since the larger the stone, the more important color becomes. As size increases, color saturation becomes more obvious to the naked eye. So, while a 0.5 carat K color diamond like this one might look white, a 2 carat K color diamond like this one may look slightly yellow even when viewed from above (diamond’s look whitest when viewed from this angle). 

That said, pairing a K color diamond with faint or medium fluorescence can help hide some of that natural coloration. Fluorescence can also help you save a little money as compared to a diamond with no fluorescence, especially in the near colorless grades like G – J. Learn more about diamond fluorescence grades and how they can affect appearance and price in our Diamond Fluorescence Guide.

It is important to note that the diamond’s color grade is not the only thing that affects its appearance. The color of the setting you choose can be of equal importance; yellow and rose settings help offset some of the yellow color in the diamond. We’ll explore this further below.

Below you can see each of the different color grades (from D color on the top left to K color on the bottom right). These are all 2ct Excellent/Ideal Cut VVS2 clarity and have high cut scores (our internal metric to determine the quality of the cut).

2 Carat Diamonds D - K Color

Click the above images for more details

It is hard to tell the difference between color grades simply by looking at the pictures above, even when they’re right next to one another. The reality is that unless your diamond is a J or K color it will likely look completely white in any color setting. Even J color diamonds typically look totally white to the naked eye, but K is where color saturation usually begins to become apparent to the casual observer. 

However, having confidence in the color of your stone is an expensive proposition. The K color is listed at $11,417 right now, while the D color is listed at more than 4x that price at $49,375.

2 Carat Diamond Price Chart

Talking about price, if you are looking for a specific estimate you can always use our Diamond Price Calculator. The average price for a 2 carat diamond is about $22k at the time of this writing. Below is our updated 2 carat diamond price chart which shows up-to-date data averaged across all diamond shapes. If you're looking for up-to-date diamond pricing data and live diamond price charts like the one below, check out our 2 carat diamond prices page for more info.

2 Carat Diamond Rings on Hand

Given that people’s ring (and hand) sizes vary, many buyers are concerned about whether a 2 carat diamond will look large or small on their particular hand. We have thus put together a couple examples of 2 carat diamond rings on hands with different ring sizes to help you visualize the differences.

Above: 2 carat diamond ring on size 4 finger

Above: 2 carat diamond ring on size 6 finger

Above: 2 carat diamond ring on size 8 finger

2 Carat Diamonds In Different Setting Styles

Buying a 2-carat round can get very expensive and you want to make sure that you get the proper setting to go with it. Amongst the most common settings are:

• The solitaire setting: in this setting the only diamond is the 2 carat center stone and hence the sole focus
• The halo setting: in this setting the 2-carat stone is surrounded by smaller diamonds
• The three stone setting: in this setting two small (or big, its your call) stones are placed on either side of the 2 carat center stone

Let’s go over a few examples of what each looks like and what it means for a 2 carat diamond

2 Carat Solitaire Setting (Also Known As A Prong Setting)

This setting is beautiful and brings out the best of the stone. Because the large center stone is the only diamond on the ring, all eyes will be on your 2 carat diamond. If you decide on a solitaire setting you want to make sure you got an amazing, eye clean and sparkly diamond.

You can expect to pay around $450 for a 18k yellow gold setting like this one from Blue Nile.

2 Carat Halo Setting

As you can see the center stone looks bigger on the halo setting below than in the solitaire above. That is an illusion created by the smaller accent diamonds that make the center stone look proportionately larger.

For the surrounding stones you only need to worry about getting a similar color grade as that of the center stone. Clarity and Cut will not be as visible at this size. A halo engagement ring in 18k white gold starts at about $1,390 (see at Blue Nile)

2 Carat Three Stone Setting (3 Stone Setting)

When you have side stones on the setting you can play around with what shape they are, that is, they do not have to be the same shape as the center stone even though this is the most popular choice. The three stone setting also allows you to differentiate your style a bit while taking some of the focus away from the center stone. 

The side stones can make the center stone bigger than it is, but be careful not to get too big a side stone because it will have the opposite visual effect. A three stone engagement ring in 18k white gold starts at about $3,220 (see at Blue Nile)

2 Carat Pave Engagement Rings

Besides the setting you can also pick from a myriad of band styles. Among the most popular you have the channel, the double band, the twisted band and the most popular: the pave band. Here is an example of a 2 carat pave band on hand.

As you can see the Pave band has diamonds along the band (you can choose whether you want the entire band to be covered in diamonds or only part of it) A 1/4 carat total weight pave engagement ring in 18k white gold starts at about $1,450 (see at Blue Nile).

CTW (Carat Total Weight)

Please note that if you are purchasing a halo or 3 stone diamond engagement ring that is pre-packaged (meaning the diamonds are already selected and packaged together), the ring’s carat weight will typically be quoted in terms of “ctw”. Ctw means “carat total weight” and is the total weight of all diamonds used in making a setting added together. For example, a 1 carat center stone with 2 side stones each weighing 0.5 carats will be marketed as a 2 ctw diamond engagement ring.

2 Carat Diamond Size Chart

Below is our 2 carat diamond size chart for round diamonds. One common misconception regarding diamond sizes and carat weights is that double the carat means double the size (in diameter or surface area). Whereas, what double de carat means is simply that the diamond weights twice as much but because of the shape of the diamond much of that additional weight goes to below the surface and hence it does not look proportionately bigger.

As you can see in the table below, the 2 ct is twice the weight of the 1 ct but it has 58% more surface area and is only 1.66mm wider in diameter. Checkout the full diamond carat size chart here.

2 Carat Round Earrings

Diamond earring pairs are typically quoted in terms of carat total weight (ctw), so a pair of 2 carat earrings typically means two 1 carat diamonds for a carat total weight of 2 carats. 2 carat diamond stud earrings typically start around $9,000 in price. However, the price varies depending on the clarity and color grades used, as well as the type of metal.

These 2 ctw diamond stud earrings from Blue Nile start at roughly $9,000 for 14k white gold settings. Visit one of our diamond product pages to find an exclusive promotional code at Blue Nile, only for StoneAlgo users. These diamonds are I color with I1 clarity. Read our Diamond Stud Earring Guide for more details on earring pricing and how to pick out the perfect pair.