Diamond Cover Photo

Cut is King: Why Carat Weight Matters Less Than You Think

Carat weight is NOT as big a deal as you think! The secret lies in the cut.

3 cut diamonds

When it comes to engagement ring shopping, it’s all about going big or going home, right? Wrong. We’re here to put some common misconceptions regarding carat weight and size to sleep, so that you can buy an engagement ring sure to sweep your future ‘Boo’ off her feet!

1. Carat Cut: Why It Matters

Carat cut affects the visual appearance of the diamond and how much it sparkles. So diamonds with a better cut will look brighter. You’ll notice little visual difference while saving yourself some cash. Win Win. Halo rings do a good job of maximizing sparkle, by having an outer ring of smaller diamonds that reflect light off the center stone, making it appear larger:

White Gold Graduated Halo Diamond Engagement Ring

14K White Gold Graduated Halo Diamond Engagement Ring

White Gold Double Shank Halo Diamond Engagement Ring

14K White Gold Double Shank Halo Diamond Engagement Ring

2. Worth the Weight

As you can probably guess, the more the carat weight, the rarer and more valuable the diamond becomes. This also means your bling comes attached with bigger insurance policies, trade-in policies, and appraisals. Instead, opt for a diamond that’s just shy of the standard cutoff points (0.8 Carat), like these sparkling solitaire, pavé, and halo options. And don’t forget that you can ensure you’ve gotten the best diamond deal with our Diamond Price Match guarantee.

White Gold Comfort Fit Engagement Ring

14K White Gold 1.5mm Comfort Fit Engagement Ring

Yellow Gold Petite Pavé Engagement Ring

14K Yellow Gold Petite Pave Engagement Ring

Rose Gold Cushion Outline Pavé Engagement Ring

14K Rose Gold Cushion Outline Pave Engagement Ring

3. In Good Shape

Do you want a diamond that’s larger than life without breaking the bank? Choose an elongated shape such as oval, emerald or pear. These all tend to appear larger for their actual carat weight. A cushion cut style does a great job in maximizing carat weight, at the same time making the stone look larger:

Yellow Gold Cushion Halo Peridot and Diamond Ring

14k Yellow Gold Cushion Halo Peridot And Diamond Ring

White Gold Pavé Halo Diamond Engagement Ring

18K White Gold Pave Halo Diamond Engagement Ring

4. Bigger Isn’t Always Better

Apart from focusing on carat weight and size, invest in a quality cut. This will maximize light reflection, meaning more sparkle and more dazzle. Remember, a small change in size can often mean a big difference in price! If you’re looking for maximum sparkle, choose a round, cushion or pear cut:

White Gold Pavé Halo & Shank Diamond Engagement Ring

18K White Gold Pave Halo And Shank Diamond Engagement Ring

White Gold Cushion Halo Split Shank Engagement Ring

White Gold Cushion Halo Split Shank Engagement Ring

White Gold Cross Prong Solitaire Engagement Ring

14K White Gold Cross Prong Diamond Accent Solitaire Ring

5. So, Where Does That Leave You? 

Remember diamond specifications are not an exact science and you don’t have to perfect all 4 C’s! Without neglecting carat weight, color and clarity, focus on getting the perfect cut and you’re guaranteed to bag the perfect ring!

Starting your ring search? Check out the articles below to get more inspiration!

Subscribe to our email list for access to secret sales, practical ring-buying tips, and $100 off your first purchase!

Jarred Maram

Jarred is a writer by day and unofficial office ping pong champion

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Sparkle Like A Super Bowl Champion

A super bowl ring is the ultimate goal for every football player. Big bling that represents winning the big game. Tremendous diamonds that highlight the path to glory; that shine a light on the sacrifices, the aches and pains, the plays, and the practices. So what is the story behind these diamonds and gems that make up this championship hardware? And how can you get your own similarly impressive glitz?

Collection of Super Bowl Rings

Champion, this is what every athlete strives to be called, and in football, it’s Super Bowl Champion. Once you win, you are a champion for life. The winning team gets a custom made ring, with diamonds and precious gemstones that highlight the team’s colors. Each ring is specifically designed for each team. 

Whether you are an owner, a player, an executive, or just a rabid fan, the Super Bowl ring is one of the most heavily coveted and analyzed pieces of jewelry. How will it look, what will its value be, and what gemstones will be used? No matter how the design turns out, Super Bowl rings are the top sparkles in sports.

Super Bowl Flash

The Super Bowl is not known for its simplicity. From the multi-million dollar, celebrity filled commercials, the coveted half-time show, to the fans themselves, this is THE game. And that is why this big game is marked with big bling.

Super Bowl rings are highly coveted and valued piece of jewelry. They are earned through blood, sweat, and tears. But the big sparkling rings that we know today, did not start out this way.

The very first Super Bowl ring, earned by the Green Bay Packers in 1967, had a single gemstone and was valued at approximately $1,500. The second Super Bowl ring, also earned by the Packers, had a slightly higher value of $1,900. Now we are in the year of Super Bowl LVI, where the bling factor has multiplied to the umpteenth degree!

First Super Bowl Ring

“WINNING is not everything–but making the EFFORT to win is.” Vince Lombardi, Green Bay Packers

Looking for simple sparkle reminiscent of this historic hardware? Choose a 3 carat solitaire diamond engagement ring

Most Valuable Sparkle

A Super Bowl ring is invaluable to its recipient, but the value of these rings has increased dramatically over the last several decades. Super Bowl rings are now valued between $30 – $50,000, approximately $5,000,000 for a whole team. Although the exact costs are often kept secret.

A ring can increase in value if the recipient is a superstar (think Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and John Elway). The number of diamonds and gemstones also affects the value of a ring. The bling of the ring has increased with every passing year. More diamonds, more gemstones….higher value and more shine!

Tom Brady And His Super Bowl Rings

By 2015, when the Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl, their ring was worth approximately $36,000 and featured almost 300 gemstones. When the Philadelphia Eagles won in 2018, their ring had 127 diamonds on the bezel, representing the sum of the jersey numbers of the players who performed the key play that secured their victory.

The entire ring had over 200 diamonds and almost 20 sapphires. In 2019, the New England Patriots’ ring showcased over 400 diamonds and dozens of sapphires.

Three Green Bay Packers And Their Super Bowl Rings

“When you’re GOOD at something, you’ll tell everyone. When you’re GREAT at something, they’ll tell you.” Walter Payton, Chicago Bears

This Ring Is Hereby Given To….

The rings are not only worn by the players. The owner, executives, and many others in the organization that makes up an NFL team also get a ring. Anywhere from 300 to almost 1,000 rings are made for a winning team.

Less expensive versions, with fewer precious gemstones or less valuable metals, are sometimes made for staff members. But it is the players who rock the version that could blind you with its bling.

Multiple Super Bowl Rings

“A CHAMPION is simply someone who did NOT give up when they wanted to.” Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys

A Super Bowl ring’s sparkle can be seen from across a crowded room. While most of us will never earn a Super Bowl ring, James Allen can help you to get our own Super Bowl size sparkle. Our selection of 3-carat diamond and gemstone rings will have you feeling like you won your own big game!

Super Bowl Inspired Bling

Shine as bright as the Green & Gold

1.63 Carat Cushion Natural Green Emerald Octagon Halo Diamond Engagement Ring
Green Bay Packers Super Bowl Two Ring

Get this bling without the blood, sweat, and tears

1.91 Carat Round Natural Ruby Falling Edge Pavé Diamond Engagement Ring
Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl Ring

Glimmer more than a Texas belt buckle

1.97 Carat Round Natural Blue Sapphire Three Stone Round And Pavé Set Diamond Engagement Ring
Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Ring

Get twinkle that dances more than a Bronco

14K White Gold Twisted Pavé Halo Engagement Ring
Denver Broncos Super Bowl Ring

Glitz to make the whole Bay go WOW

18K Yellow Gold Framed Trapezoid Three Stone Diamond Engagement Ring
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl Ring

Brilliant like the lights of New York City

14K White Gold 8mm Comfort-Fit Channel Set Diamond Band
New York Giants Super Bowl Ring

The Super Bowl Championship ring is so much more than diamonds, gemstones, and precious metals. Like many rings, it carries meaning. Hard work, sacrifice, pride: a Super Bowl ring is coveted by every football player.

Luckily, James Allen has many rings that will allow you to rock that Super Bowl glam without all the bruises.

Check out celebrity and athlete engagement rings and looks here:

Sofia VergaraHailey Bieber * 2020 Oscars * Royal Engagements * Pippa Middleton * Miranda Kerr * NBA Inspired * MLB Inspired * Gwen Stefani, Demi Lovato, & More!

Subscribe to our email list for access to secret sales, practical ring-buying tips, and $100 off your first purchase!

Sarah Axelrad

Sarah is a stickler for grammar and prefers to use the Oxford comma. She enjoys her career as a writer since being a professional snowboarder/powerlifter/pastry chef didn’t pan out.

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